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

[janiedoe]

Oh that ship has long since sailed.....and you did have a MHP question

As long as they are dry and out of any breezes, it should be fine.
I think we need pics

Pics tomorrow

 

[janiedoe]

We survived the night and our appetite is intact.

 

[Finnie]

You WILL of course post pictures when they arrive and are happily in their MHP brooder areas, right?

When I called Welp, they said that they only notify you if there is a problem. Otherwise, they are always shipped on the date they were supposed to ship, as per the order confirmation email. From past experience, I know that chicks arrive at my PO on the morning of the second day after they shipped. So I was prepared for them to arrive Friday morning, and they did. I must say, it was much less stressful not having a tracking number! The PO is notorious for no updates, and I just hate that when it’s live chicks. So with no tracking number, no checking and no stressing.

Why I ordered from Welp: because Crele Penedesencas!

I stumbled onto them last year when it was too late in the season for me to order any chicks. (Already hatched too many of my own.) Then I also saw they had Blue Langshans, and I’ve been excitedly waiting for the 2020 chick season ever since!

I also liked that the shipping cost was included in the chick price.

Here they are upon arrival:

I wanted to keep them in this tub brooder for the first day so I could keep my eye on how they were settling in. But that heat bulb just wasn’t quite warm enough. Some would wander around eating and drinking, but the majority stayed in a pack, swaying on their feet trying to get warm. So I moved them to the MHPs, and they were obviously happier. It’s just that I have had a few losses in the past where a shipped chick that was stressed didn’t come out from under the MHP to eat or drink. That’s the one drawback I see to this- it can be hard to monitor them under there. And if you lift the MHP to check on them, you have to be VERY CAREFUL how you put it back down. I lost a chick once by pinning it under the leg of the MHP. It was heartbreaking because it was all my own fault.

 

[janiedoe]

View attachment 2058326View attachment 2058327View attachment 2058329View attachment 2058333
When I called Welp, they said that they only notify you if there is a problem. Otherwise, they are always shipped on the date they were supposed to ship, as per the order confirmation email. From past experience, I know that chicks arrive at my PO on the morning of the second day after they shipped. So I was prepared for them to arrive Friday morning, and they did. I must say, it was much less stressful not having a tracking number! The PO is notorious for no updates, and I just hate that when it’s live chicks. So with no tracking number, no checking and no stressing.

Why I ordered from Welp: because Crele Penedesencas!

I stumbled onto them last year when it was too late in the season for me to order any chicks. (Already hatched too many of my own.) Then I also saw they had Blue Langshans, and I’ve been excitedly waiting for the 2020 chick season ever since!

I also liked that the shipping cost was included in the chick price.

Here they are upon arrival:
View attachment 2058347View attachment 2058357
I wanted to keep them in this tub brooder for the first day so I could keep my eye on how they were settling in. But that heat bulb just wasn’t quite warm enough. Some would wander around eating and drinking, but the majority stayed in a pack, swaying on their feet trying to get warm. So I moved them to the MHPs, and they were obviously happier. It’s just that I have had a few losses in the past where a shipped chick that was stressed didn’t come out from under the MHP to eat or drink. That’s the one drawback I see to this- it can be hard to monitor them under there. And if you lift the MHP to check on them, you have to be VERY CAREFUL how you put it back down. I lost a chick once by pinning it under the leg of the MHP. It was heartbreaking because it was all my own fault.

I'm green with envy for those blue langshans!

 

[LaurajDinges]

Hi guys, first time raising chicks here! I have 10 chicks we got from the feed store Thursday, and had them with a heat lamp the first two nights. Today I scrounged up some supplies and made a mama heat pad and moved them in the dog crate with MHP. some are asleep in the cave, and some have chosen to pile on top.
I was feeling pretty confident about this after readin a lot of this thread, and excited to give it a try! but when I mentioned it to some other chicken friends on fb, one said she was just watching a video on chicken keeping and the lady didn't recommend heating pads bc chicks can fall asleep on them, get too warm and never wake up. So now i'm a little concerned... Is this even a possibility anyone has encountered? Is it possible they overheat while sleeping?
I'll try to post some pics of my setup, I only had two bungie cords so I used those to hold the pad to the frame, and then used masking tape to tape the next layer of garbage bad and then pillow case over that. No hay here, so just spread some shavings on top.

 

[bruceha2000]

Happy you've joined the Brigade, I'm sure you will be happy with it. Nothing like chicks sleeping soundly in the dark all night instead of not knowing night from day as happens with heat lamps.

No a chick isn't going to fall asleep on the pad and get too hot. If it is hot it will move, same as if they are in the cave and get too hot. If it is too hot on top of the pad, it is likely too hot inside as well, the chicks probably don't go in and the pad temp should be lowered. It does seem like it doesn't take many days before some of the chicks take warm up naps on top of the pad instead of going inside. I don't think I've ever had any that didn't go into the cave at night, just like the older hens go to roost.

There are 2 potential "dangers" I know of with MHP:

One is if there is a possibility a chick can get between the frame and the pad and get stuck. That is why it should be totally encased so there are no openings of that type.

The other is if there are a lot of chicks and there is no rear exit to the cave. Those in the back might not be able to get out the front if they are getting hot. I always make my cave with a rear exit and higher "cave entrance" in the front. Some advocate openings on all 4 sides making it more like a Brinsea heat plate.

 

[LaurajDinges]

Happy you've joined the Brigade, I'm sure you will be happy with it. Nothing like chicks sleeping soundly in the dark all night instead of not knowing night from day as happens with heat lamps.

No a chick isn't going to fall asleep on the pad and get too hot. If it is hot it will move, same as if they are in the cave and get too hot. If it is too hot on top of the pad, it is likely too hot inside as well, the chicks probably don't go in and the pad temp should be lowered. It does seem like it doesn't take many days before some of the chicks take warm up naps on top of the pad instead of going inside. I don't think I've ever had any that didn't go into the cave at night, just like the older hens go to roost.

There are 2 potential "dangers" I know of with MHP:

One is if there is a possibility a chick can get between the frame and the pad and get stuck. That is why it should be totally encased so there are no openings of that type.

The other is if there are a lot of chicks and there is no rear exit to the cave. Those in the back might not be able to get out the front if they are getting hot. I always make my cave with a rear exit and higher "cave entrance" in the front. Some advocate openings on all 4 sides making it more like a Brinsea heat plate.

Thank you so much for the reassurance as well as pointing out the specific dangers! Right now I have it open in the front and back, and I don't believe there's any way for chicks to get "inside" between the pillowcase, garbage bag and heating pad. I decided to order some mini bungies that will be here Monday, so come Mon I'll probably adjust it a little replacing the masking tape with them. And making everything a little tighter and simpler. If we make it thru tonight, I'll rest easier

 

[Molpet]

Thank you so much for the reassurance as well as pointing out the specific dangers! Right now I have it open in the front and back, and I don't believe there's any way for chicks to get "inside" between the pillowcase, garbage bag and heating pad. I decided to order some mini bungies that will be here Monday, so come Mon I'll probably adjust it a little replacing the masking tape with them. And making everything a little tighter and simpler. If we make it thru tonight, I'll rest easier

Somebody had the chicks pick the duct tape and it got on the chicks, I think they were a few weeks old

 

[janiedoe]

Hi guys, first time raising chicks here! I have 10 chicks we got from the feed store Thursday, and had them with a heat lamp the first two nights. Today I scrounged up some supplies and made a mama heat pad and moved them in the dog crate with MHP. some are asleep in the cave, and some have chosen to pile on top.
I was feeling pretty confident about this after readin a lot of this thread, and excited to give it a try! but when I mentioned it to some other chicken friends on fb, one said she was just watching a video on chicken keeping and the lady didn't recommend heating pads bc chicks can fall asleep on them, get too warm and never wake up. So now i'm a little concerned... Is this even a possibility anyone has encountered? Is it possible they overheat while sleeping?
I'll try to post some pics of my setup, I only had two bungie cords so I used those to hold the pad to the frame, and then used masking tape to tape the next layer of garbage bad and then pillow case over that. No hay here, so just spread some shavings on top.

There is so much misinformation on fb in the many chicken groups. It makes me tired And sad for the poor chicks.
I try to recommend BYC to everyone who is looking for advice. I'm glad that you found your way here.

 

[bruceha2000]

If we make it thru tonight, I'll rest easier

Looks good from here.
Yes you do want to make sure there aren't any exposed sticky tape parts. The last time I made one I had an old piece of canvas tarp. I hand sewed it around the pad and frame. I don't worry much about what gets on it, I just stick an old dish towel on top of the cave.