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

[bruceha2000]

Some of them still insist on sleeping between the pad and the metal frame but they seem comfortable.

You want to make that "not possible". Chicks can get stuck between the pad and frame and die.

That is too many to lose (any is too many but 25%!!). How did they get smooshed? Is the cave big enough for all with the ability to get out from both the front and back?

 

[NNYchick]

The littles were pooping way too much in the one dog crate so I “borrowed” my golden retrievers and doubled their space, by putting them together at the door openings. Maybe now they won’t get poo all over their feet. I put shavings in the end with their MHP but they don’t seem to want to go under it now?

 

[aart]

I put shavings in the end with their MHP but they don’t seem to want to go under it now?

The may be 'afraid' of the shavings....chickens don't like new things...you'll have to 'persuade'(force)them to go under. Hold them under pad until they 'feel the heat', they get used to the new stuff pretty quick.

 

[NNYchick]

The may be 'afraid' of the shavings....chickens don't like new things...you'll have to 'persuade'(force)them to go under. Hold them under pad until they 'feel the heat', they get used to the new stuff pretty quick.

I took it out for tonight so they would go to bed. I tried 3 times to “persuade” them under there and they would run out the back end and get on top, then go down to the new end of the brooder. At least I know they have no issues going through to the other end of brooder. Tomorrow I’ll try sprinkling just a little shavings around so it’s not too overwhelming different and they get use to it slowly.

 

[aart]

I took it out for tonight so they would go to bed. I tried 3 times to “persuade” them under there and they would run out the back end and get on top, then go down to the new end of the brooder. At least I know they have no issues going through to the other end of brooder. Tomorrow I’ll try sprinkling just a little shavings around so it’s not too overwhelming different and they get use to it slowly.

Good Plan! Gotta be flexible and creative with 'chicken' chickens, they do not like new things. Give them a little pile of shavings and enjoy observing them replace their fear with curiosity then joy in scratching up the 'new thing'.

Reminds me of one of the times I totally changed out the shavings in the coop.
The birds would NOT go into the coop. I caught a few and put them in there, they ran all over the roosts, poop boards, and perches just a b!tchin' up a storm screaming dangdangerdanger!! They would not walk on that evil and scary floor. It was frustrating then, is hilarious now. I was much relieved to find them all roosting at dusk, not sure who the brave soul was who broke the panicked fear of the new bedding, but they all were over it by the next day. Now when I change out shavings I save some of the old ones and scatter them over the top of the new ones and still some hesitancy but good to go.

 

[SueT]

re the Sunbeam 731-500, it is not digital and it has just 3 heat settings. Is this going to be adequate? I see people mentioning setting theirs to 4 or 5. Maybe the 3 settings include those temps? There would be less adjustment.
I haven't bought one yet. I was at Walmart, sitting on the floor, studying the various models and instructions, and an employee offered to help me. When she found out how I'd be using it, she was very alarmed. She said how is this not a fire hazard? She knew someone who had a fire from an electric blanket and she once had a burn on her back from a heating pad with no auto off. I told her well, this MHP idea been a thing for several years, many many people swear by it. Any heat source is a fire hazard, after all. But I do wonder about it being in contact with shavings, a towel with press&seal, etc.
I will be using it for just 4 chicks.

 

[Molpet]

re the Sunbeam 731-500, it is not digital and it has just 3 heat settings. Is this going to be adequate? I see people mentioning setting theirs to 4 or 5. Maybe the 3 settings include those temps? There would be less adjustment.
I haven't bought one yet. I was at Walmart, sitting on the floor, studying the various models and instructions, and an employee offered to help me. When she found out how I'd be using it, she was very alarmed. She said how is this not a fire hazard? She knew someone who had a fire from an electric blanket and she once had a burn on her back from a heating pad with no auto off. I told her well, this MHP idea been a thing for several years, many many people swear by it. Any heat source is a fire hazard, after all. But I do wonder about it being in contact with shavings, a towel with press&seal, etc.
I will be using it for just 4 chicks.

worked for me for 6 chickes and 2 turkeys... I had it on 3 for less than a week in a 50f basement, before it was too warm for them... next year I bought the bigger one

 

[aart]

it has just 3 heat settings. Is this going to be adequate?

My first pad heater was using and old school(well literally old-10yrs?) heating pad with just 3 settings, it worked fine.

 

[bruceha2000]

@NNYchick - chickens of all ages poop wherever they happen to be when the need arises - which seems to be fairly often. Re the chicks not going in the cave after the addition of shavings. Could be they are afraid of them (I've not had that problem) but it might also be too hot in the cave. The usual "is it the right temperature" advice is "watch the birds". If they won't come out, it is probably too cold. If they won't go in, probably too hot. If they come and go, JUST RIGHT!

@SueT - yes any heating device can be a fire hazard. BUT, you might want to ask this Walmart employee how old the electric blanket was that caused the fire. The wires can get flexed a lot over time and break. Shouldn't happen with a new one. For the same reason one shouldn't use an old heating pad they have had for 20 years for their MHP cave especially since no one will be in contact with it to know if there is a problem.

 

[NNYchick]

Yes they poop a lot, that’s why increased the brooder size because they needed more space as the were walking in it. Aart was right they were afraid of the shavings. After I removed them they went under. Up till this point they had only been on puppy pee pads so they hadn’t seen them before. Today I put a small pile in the corner so they can get use to them and investigate them. Today they are all over both sides of the brooder eating and going under and playing on the MHP.