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

[anniegal]

We are all just happily watching our chicks!
In full transparency I don’t use an MHP, i bought a heat plate - but the same principles apply, and it was this thread that convinced me to get the plate rather than use a lamp.
I do make a cave out of my plate using a little blanket.
My babies are two weeks old and are now out in the coop. Inside at 70f they were sleeping mostly outside the cave. Now they are outside with lows in the low 40s they are going in it fully at night.

Oh my! I am soooo happy to see this! I'd already ordered a plate for our chicks, who are scheduled to arrive in late May... And THEN found this alternative brooding method, which l LOVE. I've been pondering how to adapt the HP method using a plate instead, and wondered if it could be done. THANK YOU for posting your experience - that sounds perfect!

 

[bruceha2000]

People do use plates, they cost a fair bit more than a heating pad (and aren't useful when not brooding chicks like a heating pad is ) but the method is basically the same. You want the chicks to be able to get their backs up against the plate to warm themselves. They are made to be height adjustable whereas a MHP cave is often just a piece of wire fencing that is rebent to be higher as the chicks grow.

 

[anniegal]

People do use plates, they cost a fair bit more than a heating pad (and aren't useful when not brooding chicks like a heating pad is ) but the method is basically the same. You want the chicks to be able to get their backs up against the plate to warm themselves. They are made to be height adjustable whereas a MHP cave is often just a piece of wire fencing that is rebent to be higher as the chicks grow.

My plate is one that just stands vertically so I think it's going to require some retro-fitting to adapt to the MHP cave idea. I'm fairly confident my engineer husband is up to the task, though!

Also my plate was quite affordable at $35.

 

[RoyalChick]

My plate is one that just stands vertically so I think it's going to require some retro-fitting to adapt to the MHP cave idea. I'm fairly confident my engineer husband is up to the task, though!

Also my plate was quite affordable at $35.

Mine is intended for baby chicks and I set the front legs high and the back legs low and when they are tiny or really cold they go all the way to the back, as they get bigger and get feathers they sit more at the high front end. And when they spend all their time on top I switch it off (though they still use it like a comfort blanket!).

 

[aart]

I've been pondering how to adapt the HP method using a plate instead,

Like this?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate.67729/

My plate is one that just stands vertically

Some of those can be setup horizontally....if it can't, send it back.
Also keep in mind that size matters, just like the prefab coops plates often overstate the capacity for number of birds.

 

[anniegal]

Like this?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate.67729/

Hmm... Not really. Mine looks like this:

My husband is going to make a simple wooden frame for it that will allow us to lay it down horizontally at an angle. Fingers crossed!

It's 12" x 18" and SAYS will be large enough for 8 (full size) to 10 (bantam) chicks... Does that seem reasonable?

Thanks for all the input, you all are awesome!!

 

[Iluveggers]

Hmm... Not really. Mine looks like this:

View attachment 3062744
My husband is going to make a simple wooden frame for it that will allow us to lay it down horizontally at an angle. Fingers crossed!

It's 12" x 18" and SAYS will be large enough for 8 (full size) to 10 (bantam) chicks... Does that seem reasonable?

Thanks for all the input, you all are awesome!!

My 12x12 plate was good for 3 weeks with 15 chicks. By week 4 in the summer they weren’t using it.

I would say if you can lay yours horizontal like you said, it would definitely be ok for 8 until they were off heat.

 

[bruceha2000]

Not really. Mine looks like this:

They sell that as a chick brooder plate??
It looks like it is meant to warm a SMALL area, not brood chicks. Do the instructions say it can be used other than vertical?

 

[Iluveggers]

They sell that as a chick brooder plate??
It looks like it is meant to warm a SMALL area, not brood chicks. Do the instructions say it can be used other than vertical?

It’s almost identical to the TSC one that doubles as a plate & vertical standing heater I think. Just doesn’t give the holders to use it horizontally.

 

[anniegal]

It’s almost identical to the TSC one that doubles as a plate & vertical standing heater I think. Just doesn’t give the holders to use it horizontally.

Wow, you're right! I wonder why MPC doesn't sell it with that option? Grrr...