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

[aart]

MHP ready for the 6 kids. Shipping notice received yesterday, no sign of them yet so I guess they will be showing up at the P.O. in the morning. Last year they shipped on Monday and were delivered at the house by 1 PM Tuesday

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Bruce do you have any pics while you put this together?
Curious about the cord .

 

[Molpet]

Bruce do you have any pics while you put this together?
Curious about the cord .

looks like he put a HOLE in the wifes best pillow case

 

[aart]

looks like he put a HOLE in the wifes best pillow case

I see that
...but socket in pad usually sticks way out off end...wondering if he bent it up.

 

[bruceha2000]

The pad is longer than the cave so yes the pad wraps up the sides a few inches. Cave size was dictated by the length of scrap shelf I had. Sorry I didn't take any assembly pics. Only 6 chicks so plenty of space. Used the same cave last year with 7.

@Molpet, don't worry about the "wife's best pillowcase". Don't know what I did with the old flannel one I used last year but I have some big scraps of cloth canvas (old tarp) and sewed the "custom cover" over the frame and pad with waxed whipping twine. I'm pretty sure no one would make a pillowcase with such sloppy stitching!

 

[aart]

The pad is longer than the cave so yes the pad wraps up the sides a few inches. Cave size was dictated by the length of scrap shelf I had. Sorry I didn't take any assembly pics.

That's what I figured. ...that socket/plug combo is unwieldy.
Hopefully it's not too sharp of a 'bend' on the pad.
I noticed the neat stitching, reminded me of a burial shroud

 

[bruceha2000]

I bet even that would be neater!

I don't think the bend is too sharp. Less than what the pad would have had in the box it came packaged in.

 

[aart]

I don't think the bend is too sharp. Less than what the pad would have had in the box it came packaged in.

True, but not powered when in box, which could make a difference.
Just thinking(maybe over thinking) about the resistance of the wires.

 

[bruceha2000]

It was in the same frame last April, only difference was the cover over the whole thing. But maybe I'll make a new, larger frame the next time I get chicks. I don't plan on that for a couple of years though.

 

[PetesChicks]

How hot should the MHP get? I just put my frame together, the pad is wrapped in a pillow case, and attached to the underside with bungee cords. I have a 3/16" sheet of plywood on top, to stop them from pooping on the pad. I figure that will be easy to keep clean by scraping it.

I put a thermometer against the pad (held up with the bungee cords) and it read 108' with the heating pad on High. I turned it down to Medium, and will check the temp again in an hour or so. The frame is open on all 4 sides, 12x24 pad. Right now, I have it set to 2 1/2" high in the back, and 4" high in the front. I know with a heat light, it's supposed to be 95' for the first week, but I know that those numbers don't translate to the MHP.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated, my new chicks are coming sometime this week.

Thanks in advance!

Edit:
About an hour after changing it to Medium, it was reading 96’. Do you think I should keep it there to start when the chicks come? Then play it by ear depending on how they act when I get them home?

 

[aart]

108°F is fine for pad surface temp, a hens body temp is ~106°F.
Key is being able to adjust height of pad to where chicks can touch their backs to pad.
1.5-2" in back and 3" in front is a good place to start.