Help, my chicks don’t go back to the mama heating pad when they’re cold.

[Jester57]

Glad you turned it down. The average temperature under the cave, measured at the floor, is between 82.5 and 86 degrees so I think you may have solved your main issue. 95 degrees is way too warm under there when you factor in how closely they lay together and their shared body warmth. It may take the Fussy Four a day to be willing to start using it again. They don’t trust it to be comfy now. Keep trying! You’ve got this!

It’s good to know there’s a solution that’s reasonable and doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with the kids. Thanks once again.

 

[NC_ChickiePoo]

I decided I was going to brood my chicks in the 10’ x 20’ enclosed chicken run, so I built a 2’ x 4’ brooder box (open on 2 sides) and a mama heating pad assembly. We got chicks via mail yesterday, which went right into the box. Yesterday, it was about 73 outside and 80 in the run and everything was great. It was actually so warm inside the run I ran out and bought another fan (the run is enclosed in greenhouse plastic, so when the sun is out, it’s much warmer inside than out).

My problems began when the temps started dropping. The adult chickens had already gone in to roost when I went out to check on the chicks, but I found all 4 of them in a corner of the brooder completely away from their heating cave and chirping like they were very cold. I moved all of them to the mama pad, the chirping stopped, but an hour later I went out to check and one of them was in that same corner, chirping her little heart out. It all stopped when I put her back, and they didn’t come out again until this morning.

This morning though, all 4 of them were in a different corner, cold, and very vocally letting me know about it. They all, once again, immediately quit cheeping once they were inside the mama pad.

They’ve done this a couple of times so far, always calming down once under the pad, but persistently standing out in the colder air (it’s 43 degrees today, much colder than yesterday) when they get out from under. I did see one of them voluntarily return to the pad by herself, so there’s hope. So far, I put a little space heater by the cage to warm up the air inside and curtained off about 1/2 of the box so they can’t wander as far.

Is there anything I can do to encourage them to return to the mama pad? I checked, and the temp is perfectly fine for them, they all survived the night and didn’t leave until it was light again. Are they waiting for mama to push them back under her when they cheep or is there something else I’m missing? They’ve been eating and drinking normally and seem pretty healthy. They just can’t figure out the concept of coming in from the cold. Any help would be appreciated.

We just picked up our chicks from a hatchery this afternoon and all seems well except I kinda started worrying because they were not going under the Brinsea that we have. They wanted to eat and drink and flit around and seem happy. I eventually would try to put one or two under there and they would stay for a few seconds and go back to the feeder. Then later on, they were all huddled together in the corner next to the feeder. I decided I was going to push this a little bit - mean momma - and put them all under the brooder. They all settled down and seem content. I did interrupt them in their slumber when our son came home from work and he wanted to see them. I turned on a low lamp I have in the room and most of them came out to see us. I'm probably putting too much into this but they seemed to respond to my voice already and came right up to the door of the pen I have them in. We do have them inside right now and it was warm today. The room is upstairs in a sunny room and the thermometer was 75 degrees so perhaps it was just warm enough. Be a little "mean momma/daddy" and make them realize perhaps that the warm thing is actually good. I wish you the best of luck. I'm sure they'll be fine.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I do have the pad on “high”, which measured 95 degrees when checked, but that was only air temp. I’ll turn it down to medium.

Oh wow I'm so sorry if I confused the situation by talking about light. 95* is too high, you got it solved. I was going from high to med when mine read *91 because they didn't like it, so for sure *95 would have driven mine out. Congrats on the littles, have fun

 

[Jester57]

I switched the pad to medium and that seems to have done the trick. I guided them into the cave when it was getting dark and they’ve stayed there since. Thanks once again everyone for your advice. I’ll try to keep everyone updated

 

[Jester57]

This morning I went out to the coop a little early because we’ve got a crower and I’m not sure who it is. The grow lights in the run came on and all 4 chicks came prancing out of the cave. They went in by themselves last night, so I think the problem’s solved.

 

[Blooie]

This morning I went out to the coop a little early because we’ve got a crower and I’m not sure who it is. The grow lights in the run came on and all 4 chicks came prancing out of the cave. They went in by themselves last night, so I think the problem’s solved.

After 7 years of teaching folks about Mama Heating Pad, I think the most consistent issue that comes up is heat. We’ve been conditioned to believe that chicks absolutely need to be kept at temperatures that they clearly show they don‘t like or need. It’s a shock for people to find out that there’s no need to heat their entire environment as long as they have a place to warm up. I cringe when I see photos of chicks in plastic totes with a heat lamp over it. As my good friend @lazy Gardner used to say, it’s like putting them in an Easy Bake Oven. Think about that…what’s an Easy Bake Oven? Its a plastic box with a lightbulb in it! What’s a tote full of chicks? A plastic box with a heat lamp over it. Grrrr

I’m so glad your chicks are now comfortable using MHP! Good job on being open to suggestions and resolving the issue! I always say, if a two pound hen can successfully raise her chicks outdoors regardless of weather, and do it without heat lamps, charts, books, experts, or web sites, why do we do it so differently and think we’re doing it better?

 

[Jester57]

After 7 years of teaching folks about Mama Heating Pad, I think the most consistent issue that comes up is heat. We’ve been conditioned to believe that chicks absolutely need to be kept at temperatures that they clearly show they don‘t like or need. It’s a shock for people to find out that there’s no need to heat their entire environment as long as they have a place to warm up. I cringe when I see photos of chicks in plastic totes with a heat lamp over it. As my good friend @lazy Gardner used to say, it’s like putting them in an Easy Bake Oven. Think about that…what’s an Easy Bake Oven? Its a plastic box with a lightbulb in it! What’s a tote full of chicks? A plastic box with a heat lamp over it. Grrrr

I’m so glad your chicks are now comfortable using MHP! Good job on being open to suggestions and resolving the issue! I always say, if a two pound hen can successfully raise her chicks outdoors regardless of weather, and do it without heat lamps, charts, books, experts, or web sites, why do we do it so differently and think we’re doing it better?

I couldn’t agree more. I’m a little frustrated that the current practices are so ingrained that hatcheries are demanding that you put your chicks under a heat lamp. They’re even putting up videos as to why heat lamps are preferable. Are we so invested in methods that are demonstrably inferior that we must stick our fingers in our ears and make “nah-nah-nah” noises whenever improving those methods is discussed?

Seriously, studies should be done. And somebody with more drive and gumption than I currently possess should look into making mama heating pads for the market. If you do and make a whole lot of money, then I’m open to a commission.

 

[Canina]

Oh believe me I concur. BYC people seem to actually have more open-minded reactions than the Oregon only forum I'm "on." I get completely (and rudely,) attacked when I suggest alternatives to blazing red heat lamps. It's sad to me, when I started out (okay this is going to sound weird,) the heat was so high my mind kept picturing and smelling literally cooking alive chickens. That's why when I found the Mommy Hut solution thanks to you, I was ALL IN. I just knew it was best. But people will never let go of the idea that "they can get away from heat if they want to," so all you have to do is allow enough room to have different "zones." Some of the same people show pics of fish tank brooders. Okay I'm sorry, you can't get away from heat when you're trapped in a glass cage.... Sigh.

I use a heat lamp but it’s only 50w And glass cages are perfectly fine for creating a temperature gradient, especially ones with mesh tops for ventilation and keeping the heating element well away from the animal. The whole point of vivariums is creating a temperature controlled environment for keeping animals in. That’s how we keep reptiles, because like chicks (technically also reptiles) they need to use their environment to thermoregulate. Lamp is on one side of the brooder, other side doesn’t have it. Chicks can move toward lamp if they want to be warm and away from lamp if they want to be cool. I also have a heat mat the same size as the floor that can be on low heat, but haven’t needed it with the weather. They can even have a hide on the warm side so they can be in the dark/shade at the same time. Also most of these horror stories with lamps are from people not using thermostats, not securing the heat source properly, not using surge protectors etc. It’s not rocket science.

 

[Jester57]

I’m just curious; I know that people keep recommending 105 degrees for the initial week, based on, I’m assuming, on an adult chicken’s body temp. I’m wondering if anyone has ever checked on the ambient temperature in the fluff of a chicken. If chicks are moving around in the fluff, especially while asleep, wouldn’t that suggest that the chicks are using mommy like a fire, i.e., nice to warm yourself in front of, but you have to turn every once and awhile to avoid getting one side overheated. And you certainly wouldn’t put yourself in the fire. So, do chicks move around at night under mama? Do chicks come in direct contact with mama’s skin, or do they use the fluff to insulate themselves?

It seems like the only justification for 105 degrees is if chicks situate themselves right on the hen’s naked skin and only move if the other side gets cold. After all, feathers serve to insulate the hen, not to radiate heat to the chicks.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

most of these horror stories with lamps are from people not using thermostats, not securing the heat source properly, not using surge protectors etc.

I know that alot of people move away from using heat lamps due to fire risk but that has nothing whatsoever to do with my reason for using mommy hut. As you say it's not rocket science, how to be fire safe and I know my coop is perfectly safe with a heat lamp. In fact I do also use a ceramic (no light,) heat bulb hanging from a secure ceiling hook for a few days on the rare occasion that I'm raising babies in very low temps. But it's more than that for me. It's simply based on my belief that it's so much more like a real mother chicken, and I have healthier babies. I've never dealt with pasty butt in the 15 years I've used the MH. I knew they feel safe under "her," as well as warm. Out in the open tank, tub or whatever with no warm fake mom, it's less natural. I scroll on by many cases of pasty butt under high heat that I see on here because the debate is frankly exhausting. But I thank you for being polite. I don't think that everyone has to use the same process, do what works for you