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

[Leahs Mom]

I "think" the ones that Walmart carries, possibly a Walmart brand, is still good. Wonder if they're made by Sunbeam?

 

[Doc7]

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-Ultr...op?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref=yo_pop_d_pd_title

This does NOT have auto off. Even if it says so somewhere on page- check the comments AND my ongoing experience with it. I bought it on May 18 (took link right from order history) and it’s been On for my chicks since June 02. It is awesome! I am using it for 6 chicks and it could handle probably 12-15.

 

[BigSkyBird]

I thought this mama heating pad picture was too cute not to share!

The chicks we hatched in an incubator this week went out to mama heating pad in a segregated part of the coop on day one. They seem to be doing great!

 

[Blooie]

I love those shots! Consider your dues paid with this little cutie!

I've been out of town this past week so haven't been checking in often so I'm a little late in responding!

 

[bruceha2000]

I've been out of town this past week so haven't been checking in often so I'm a little late in responding!

We noticed

Hope your trip as good!

 

[lilmillefleur]

We are considering using this method for our chicks coming soon. Is the fire risk the same for the MHP and the brinsea heat plate? Also do you think the risk would increase if the heating pad was under a half of a hollow log ?

 

[bruceha2000]

Should be. Neither gets hot enough to cause a contact fire (unlike heat lamps).

 

[Blooie]

Remember Bruce that a while back on this very thread someone showed pics of her chicks with their burns from the Premier Heat Plate - I’m on my phone or I’d search but I think it was around a page 940 something.

@puffypoo22 I started out wanting a plate but it wasn’t in the budget. What I’ve seen since tells me that I’d now never switch from MHP to a plate. MHP has other advantages - softer, darker, much more like scooting under a broody than standing under an “awning”, and after it’s washed we can use it for our own aches and pains. But whatever choice you make, enjoy the adventure and security of raising chicks without a lamp.

 

[Molpet]

We are considering using this method for our chicks coming soon. Is the fire risk the same for the MHP and the brinsea heat plate? Also do you think the risk would increase if the heating pad was under a half of a hollow log ?

not sure how you would get a log low enough for small chicks .. or wrap it so they don't get in between the pad and log.. I guess you could put the whole thing in a pillowcase and bunged it, like we do with the pad under a wire frame.
they like to get warm on top too and the log would insulate the top so the heat wouldn't be much up there

 

[Blooie]

Good catch, @Molpet - I totally missed the log! Nope, I wouldn't use a half log either, although I always did keep one in the run so that chicks had an escape hole that the Bigs couldn't follow and get under. With MHP, we aren't trying to heat a space, just the chicks directly. So I don't see a way to safely suspend the pad underneath for the very reasons Molpet mentioned.

Also with the way MHP is normally done, the chicks also like to snuggle on top to warm tootsies or survey their domain. They do the same thing with a broody hen - climb on top of her or snuggle beside her. Heat just wouldn't transfer through the hard thick surface of a log. And it's not snuggly soft!