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

[bruceha2000]

AND my guess is you would have a heck of a time increasing the height of the inside of a hollow half log as the chicks grow. Adjusting the height is a key component of the MHP method so the chicks can get their backs up to the heated surface. Key on the Brinsea as well I would imagine.

 

[Doc7]

My MHP chicks are doing great, feathering our awesome! Will be 3 weeks old Monday.

 

[Blooie]

So can we safely assume that you and your chicks are happy with MHP?

 

[Leahs Mom]

15 new chicks will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. They moved out to the barn pen today with their Premier heat plate AND A MAMA HEAT PAD. (The Premier will quickly become too small for the whole group so I also added the heat pad mama.)

They had never seen the heat pad before as, when they were in their temporary first brooder, they only had the Premier.

Guess which one they chose today and for bed time....

 

[Molpet]

15 new chicks will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. They moved out to the barn pen today with their Premier heat plate AND A MAMA HEAT PAD. (The Premier will quickly become too small for the whole group so I also added the heat pad mama.)

They had never seen the heat pad before as, when they were in their temporary first brooder, they only had the Premier.

Guess which one they chose today and for bed time....

View attachment 1441862

Ha
a great test and MHP wins by a mile

 

[aart]

Guess which one they chose today and for bed time....

Plate is too low

 

[Leahs Mom]

Plate is too low

Plate is actually higher than the pad. And...it doesn't have shavings under it so not as cozy.

They were on paper towels before so I did the paper towels in part of the pen so that it wouldn't be so freaky for them to have everything totally different. I really think they like the more cushy shavings. I've already removed the paper towel after dark and replaced with shavings so I'll have to see what they do tomorrow night.

 

[aart]

Plate is actually higher than the pad.

Must be an optical illusion.
Maybe the lower pad is 'warmer' then.

 

[Leahs Mom]

It is an optical illusion. I looked at that photo again and it does look like that from the angle it was taken.

It could be a better temperature. Or that the pad is "chushier" than the metal plate. Or that it was more comfortable on the shavings.

I'll be curious to see what happens today/tonight.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Babies still used the heat pad all day and they're all under it tonight.