Hello From Manda!

[Nats Chickens]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Cynthia12]

Don't ya love Google! Whoot! You found BYC! WELCOME!

 

[feathermaid]

I was going to get a great lamp and then i saw all the info on the heating pads!! I am going to go with that! Our seems a lot safer too! I have small children and was worried the heat lamp might be a little dangerous. They obviously wouldn't have access unattended but little fingers can be quick somtimes.

Glad to hear it! How old are your boys? My daughter was 4 when we first got chicks and I had her handle them all the time, it was a great learning experience. I didn't know anything about MHP or BYC back then and used a lamp, but I couldn't bear to have a light shining all night long... I don't think it's healthy (mentally especially).
So I ended up using a heating pad anyway because it just made sense to me and I'd used them for rescue kittens, so why not? My shoddy 1st version wasn't the best, but it worked... even though I only used it at night and switched to the lamp during the day... so ridiculous!


Anyway, I finally learned about MHP and the "right" way to do it and then made a similar version: Pseudo Brooder Heater ‘Plate’

After about 2 weeks they mostly stayed on top so I placed a piece of cardboard up there to keep the pad cleaner. That's right about when I moved their brooder to my coop and had them integrated with my older girls in a couple more short weeks!
It was awesome!
I don't mean to bombard your thread with pics, but I learned so much from BYC and just wanted to share. I'm excited for you and hope you have fun with your future flock!

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

 

[LavvyTaffy]

Howdy and
We're so glad you joined our flock!
Hopefully you find this awesome website as enjoyable as we do.

 

[MandaRae]

Glad to hear it! How old are your boys? My daughter was 4 when we first got chicks and I had her handle them all the time, it was a great learning experience. I didn't know anything about MHP or BYC back then and used a lamp, but I couldn't bear to have a light shining all night long... I don't think it's healthy (mentally especially).
So I ended up using a heating pad anyway because it just made sense to me and I'd used them for rescue kittens, so why not? My shoddy 1st version wasn't the best, but it worked... even though I only used it at night and switched to the lamp during the day... so ridiculous!
View attachment 1632687

Anyway, I finally learned about MHP and the "right" way to do it and then made a similar version: Pseudo Brooder Heater ‘Plate’
View attachment 1632688 View attachment 1632689
After about 2 weeks they mostly stayed on top so I placed a piece of cardboard up there to keep the pad cleaner. That's right about when I moved their brooder to my coop and had them integrated with my older girls in a couple more short weeks!
View attachment 1632694 It was awesome!
I don't mean to bombard your thread with pics, but I learned so much from BYC and just wanted to share. I'm excited for you and hope you have fun with your future flock!

Pictures are extremely helpful and very welcome
My oldest will be 4yrs & youngest 1yr in June so it will be a new adventure for us all!