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

[Weeg]

I am in the same exact boat! My chicks did the same thing with the cave and I thought they were too cold.. I fortunately, also had a heating plate on hand and decided to put that in the brooder as well, and the chicks seem to prefer the plate over the cave. We have our brooder in a uninsulated, but closed-in deck. It is going to be 37 F by 5am… I am worried that they will get cold, but gonna leave both options on all night. I have heard of people using the cave in below freezing and negative temperatures, so I am not sure why my chicks were doing the same thing.

@Blooie 's post above helped me understand it better. It helped me a lot. I think its concerning when you are used to seeing them under the heat lamp, to suddenly hidden under a heating pad and our broody hen instincts start to worry us. Her post definitely helped reassure me, quoted below.

They usually don’t come out for awhile, sometimes not for a whole day. It’s calming, dark, relaxing, warm, and very Mom-like. They like it. So before doing a lot of adjusting of the heat, just lift the cave up a bit and peek in on them to be sure they are okay. Another way to check seems kinda mean, but then that’s never stopped me. Put your hand in and sort of scoop them all out. When they scream at you and then scurry back under, listen for the loud cheeping to be replaced with quiet little trills and purrs. When you hear it, smile. They consider it home!

 

[Blooie]

Keep me posted!

 

[homeandhens]

@Blooie 's post above helped me understand it better. It helped me a lot. I think its concerning when you are used to seeing them under the heat lamp, to suddenly hidden under a heating pad and our broody hen instincts start to worry us. Her post definitely helped reassure me, quoted below.

Oh yes, that makes so much sense! Thank you for posting! And thanks for the feedback @Blooie This is my first time easing chicks so yes agreed! My mama hen worries are high. Lol!

 

[Weeg]

Keep me posted!

I will! I'm very excited to try a cave with a new heating pad soon. I've always wanted too, and am finally able to give it a go.

 

[Blooie]

I think the folks who run into trouble sometimes overthink the whole process. If you just close your eyes and envision a broody hen with her chicks in place of the Mama Heating Pad, it’s easy to grasp how just a simple adjustable frame, a heating pad, and a little observation make all the difference!

 

[Weeg]

I think the folks who run into trouble sometimes overthink the whole process. If you just close your eyes and envision a broody hen with her chicks in place of the Mama Heating Pad, it’s easy to grasp how just a simple adjustable frame, a heating pad, and a little observation make all the difference!

Definitely! That does make a lot of sense. Not to difficult if you really think about it.

 

[Weeg]

Adding to my question, how cold do you think is too cold for brooding outdoors with a heat cave? The second heating pad should arrive tomorrow, and the temps are supposed to drop. 19 degrees Monday night. Is that too cold? If the heating cave is the right temp, would they be alright? The brooder is a converted tractor. A 4x8 frame wrapped in HC, with a tarp over half. The heat would be in the back of the covered half for wind block. Would this setup be okay? We can bring them in if necessary, they would just loose some space for a few days.

 

[galaga6846]

I made some modifications. It's 77-80° on the table directly under the heater, and 102.5° at the pad in the highest setting. I got some shims to raise it up at an angle as well. I haven't applied the Press n Seal yet, but I have a roll. How many inches clearance should I start it out at?

 

[galaga6846]

The reason I am not using the wire frame is because I don't have anything like that, and if I want that fencing for this little project, it comes in $50+ bundles. I really do hope my improvised version will be sufficient

 

[Weeg]

The reason I am not using the wire frame is because I don't have anything like that, and if I want that fencing for this little project, it comes in $50+ bundles. I really do hope my improvised version will be sufficient

That looks good. We had some old welded wire that needed to be used. I was able to bend that into shape. Amazon might have something cheeper, but I think your setup looks good.