Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

[mrsdee]

Yeah that was my incling. I have no hesitations about them being in the shed with a heat lamp. I know how hot that thing can make an area. I went ahead and bought a heating pad today. I may try to do both. Have a lamp on one end and the MHP on the other. Hopefully I'll have around 20 chicks here in a week to try it out on.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

Okay so this is the basic structure. You can see it gets pretty low to the ground near the back. It can be adjusted slightly though, and I can always use longer bolts to make it more adjustable. Can it be too low? Would chicks get wedged and stuck at the back?

Here is an example with the heating pad over it in the bin that will be the brooder eventually. (Obviously will have bedding then too)

Thoughts? I can of course always go the heat lamp route. Do you think it is a bad idea for a chicken newbie to use MHP? =\
I did leave a thermometer under it at the back and it did get up to 85°F. That's just the trapped radiant heat though, not the heat that is produced when actually in contact with the heating pad.
So I think it will be warm enough...right? XP

 

[Birdinhand]

Okay so this is the basic structure. You can see it gets pretty low to the ground near the back. It can be adjusted slightly though, and I can always use longer bolts to make it more adjustable. Can it be too low? Would chicks get wedged and stuck at the back?
View attachment 1228142
Here is an example with the heating pad over it in the bin that will be the brooder eventually. (Obviously will have bedding then too)
View attachment 1228143
Thoughts? I can of course always go the heat lamp route. Do you think it is a bad idea for a chicken newbie to use MHP? =\
I did leave a thermometer under it at the back and it did get up to 85°F. That's just the trapped radiant heat though, not the heat that is produced when actually in contact with the heating pad.
So I think it will be warm enough...right? XP

looks great, I'd maybe raise the back a bit, it does not need to be so steep. the MHP is the ideal heater for a newbie, heat lamps are way more complicated to run properly if you ask me. going straight to an MHP skips a whole bunch of potential problems, IMHO. I think of incandescent bulbs as antique, essentially outdated, even out right dangerous.

 

[Molpet]

Good to have it so chicks can get out the back.. some people have had large groups and trapped chicks over heated

 

[aart]

I may try to do both. Have a lamp on one end and the MHP on the other. Hopefully I'll have around 20 chicks here in a week to try it out on.

Would be a great experiment!

and I can always use longer bolts to make it more adjustable.

Yes, plan on it. Be flexible and not afraid to change it. Looks like a great start. How big is that rack..12 x 16-18? Might get tight space wise after a week or two. How do you plan on attaching pad and covering it to keep it cleaner?

I'd maybe raise the back a bit, it does not need to be so steep.

Ditto Dat^^^

Good to have it so chicks can get out the back

Absolutely! I like them to be able to get out 3 or all 4 sides.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate.67729/

 

[biophiliac]

@BBZZZZTT
I agree, the angle is a bit too steep and the back just a bit low. Easily fixed.
Don't worry about the thermometer reading, it will be warm enough.
You could affix the pad to the underside of the rack using bungees and covered with a pillow case to prevent a chick getting wedged between the pad and the structure.
It looks good and will benefit your babies in many ways over the heat lamps.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

Thanks for all the feedback. I will definitely raise the back.
I am only getting 4-5 chicks (urban area) so at least I won't have a huge group squishing in there. Regardless though I will make sure they can escape out the back.
It is only 12x12... The bin I have is long and skinny. I'll be moving them to a larger pen once they are too big for that though. I do have another cooling rack that is wider. (I think 12x18?) So I could always get a wider enclosure and use that.
As for protecting the heat pad, I was planning on using the press n seal method and cover with towel/bedding etc. If it does end up getting dirty it's not the end of the world as never use a heating pad for anything other than this anyway.
Again, thanks for all the feedback (and encouragement!)

 

[bruceha2000]

Do you think it is a bad idea for a chicken newbie to use MHP?

No! It is bad for a newbie to use a heat lamp, MUCH easier to screw that up and a lot more 'screwing around" to get the temp right and keep it that way as the chicks grow. Especially if you don't have a large space so the chicks can get away from the heat. They DO NOT need 95°F 24x7 the first week dropping by 5°F each week. In fact if you watch chicks with a hen, they will be out from under WAY more than they are in their "natural cave" in temps in the 60's.

But I echo other responses:

• Raise the back, start at about 2"
• Lower the front to about 4"
• Put the pad underneath so they can contact it not the rack
• Support it up to the rack
• Encase the whole thing so no chicks can get stuck. It HAS happened and there have been deaths. The last thing you want as a new chicken owner or "old hand" is a chick dying unnecessarily.

When I covered mine I used an old pillowcase and Gorilla tape. That both held the pad to the frame and closed off the open end of the pillowcase. MAKE SURE there is no sticky tape the chicks can get stuck on.

I'm not brooding chicks with my heating pad right now. It is set at 2 in the enclosed nest box to keep eggs (the few that are being laid) from freezing before I get out to check. It has been well below normal temps the last month.

 

[Blooie]

Does anyone remember the consensus on putting Press 'n Seal directly on the heating pad? I know we had that discussion on here before but the thread became so big that I've lost track. I thought we'd determined that the direct contact between the two would likely result in the P&S becoming extremely difficult to remove or some such.... Help! Need a memory boost here!

Newbies use MHP successfully and are very enthusisatic about it. There is a little hesitation and uncertainty because folks who have never raised chicks before are understandably nervous about the entire process anyway. Throw in a "radically new" way to raise them that goes against the conventional wisdom and it's scary! But I think you'll find that you're less stressed and able to actually enjoy your chicks more. I found that to be true for me.

And as @biophiliac said, you can put the pad on the underside of the frame if you are concerned about chicks getting stuck between the pad and the frame. I never had that happen, but others have, and while most chicks were rescued in time, a couple of them weren't and sadly died. On this page of the thread are @Beekissed photos and instructions for doing that. Many people set theirs up this way, and I eventually changed over as well. Those posts begin about halfway down the page.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...e-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/page-46

 

[Melodychick]

I put the heating pad under the rack, covered with a flannel pillowcase used bungees to secure, then a press n seal covered towel on top to protect the pillowcase and heating pad. The chicks came into direct contact with the pillowcase/heating pad. It worked out well! Will definitely go this route for future chicks!!!