Mama Heating Pad- barely warm

[BEggRN]

So, I've read and re-read hundreds (probably for real) of posts on raising my new babies with a mama heating pad instead of a heat lamp. I bravely ordered my Sunbeam Xpress Heat king sized heating pad, and it barely feels warm on the highest setting; less warm than my other heating pads that I use, but they all have an auto shut off. Is it defective or intentionally not hot? Do I need to try a different pad or is this ok? Happy to post pics for more feedback once my set-up is ready, but first I'm trying to see if I need to get a different pad.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

@aart

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't have a Sunbeam but it's possibly defective if you can't really feel any heat even on high. That said, it could be ok to use... my heat pad (which I keep meaning to toss) is very old and when I used it for my last group of chicks, it really didn't get as hot as it used to, but the chicks were still fine with it as the sole heat source. What are your temperatures hi/low where your brooder is at?

 

[BGcoop]

I don’t have that particular brand either, but I guess I would watch temps and how the chicks are behaving with it’s use.
Our first year We had a heating pad thing that also felt like it was barely putting out any heat- which I suppose is why ours was labeled as fire safe. (We went back to heat lamps because we just didn’t trust the pad- partly due to not being sure it would keep the chicks warm enough, partly due to not knowing if one day it would suddenly decide to actually get hot)

 

[InterestingChickens]

Whatch the chicks behavior. If their bunching up and trying to get under each other their cold, but if their spreading out away from the heat pad their too hot. Good luck!

 

[BEggRN]

I don't have a Sunbeam but it's possibly defective if you can't really feel any heat even on high. That said, it could be ok to use... my heat pad (which I keep meaning to toss) is very old and when I used it for my last group of chicks, it really didn't get as hot as it used to, but the chicks were still fine with it as the sole heat source. What are your temperatures hi/low where your brooder is at?

Their 1st month:
Hi: mid/high 60s-70s
Low:40s-50s
I planned to have them in the garage for the 1st wk and then move them out to the brooder area in the coop.

I'm comfortable watching their behavior for comfort. That's what I've done with the heat lamp. I'm nervous because the MHP concept is new to me. It sounds fabulous, I just don't want to mess it up.

 

[aart]

Is it defective or intentionally not hot?

Hard to say.
Do you have an infrared temp gauge?
Or just lay an accurate thermometer on the surface and see what it reads.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Their 1st month:
Hi: mid/high 60s-70s
Low:40s-50s
I planned to have them in the garage for the 1st wk and then move them out to the brooder area in the coop.

I'm comfortable watching their behavior for comfort. That's what I've done with the heat lamp. I'm nervous because the MHP concept is new to me. It sounds fabulous, I just don't want to mess it up.

Your temperatures are very good for brooding outside, so I don't think it'll be an issue, even if the MHP isn't "hot."

You still have your heat lamp I assume? I still keep mine as a back up. If the chicks don't look like they're getting warm enough (distressed chirping while under the heat pad) then I would switch to the heat lamp.

 

[BEggRN]

Hard to say.
Do you have an infrared temp gauge?
Or just lay an accurate thermometer on the surface and see what it reads.

My "highly reliable" candy thermometer is hanging a little over 110 resting on the pad (actually got up yo 111.7. Clearly I'm from the south since that barely feels warm to me.

 

[BEggRN]

Your temperatures are very good for brooding outside, so I don't think it'll be an issue, even if the MHP isn't "hot."

You still have your heat lamp I assume? I still keep mine as a back up. If the chicks don't look like they're getting warm enough (distressed chirping while under the heat pad) then I would switch to the heat lamp.

I do still have the heat lamp. I feel better since I laid the thermometer on there and saw that it's warmer than I thought.
Thanks for the advice! I'm feeling a bit braver again. Just want to do what's best for my chicks.