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

[Blooie]

The space blanket stuff is like the Mylar balloons, pretty tough stuff, not at all like aluminum foil. The space blanket is just that, a blanket size sheet and it's purpose is to wrap around a person who is caught out on the hiking trail in springtime in the Rockies when one of the famous spring blizzards suddenly blows in. I think it costs $2 or $3. I doubt very much baby beaks will damage it as long as it's glued down.

My only concern is that it might get too warm in the cave, with the foam insulation of the walls. But then all I will need to do it adjust the temperature control on the heating pad downward. Might even end up being energy conservative.

Oh, yeah, I knew what space blankets are. You can't hunt in the mountains of Wyoming like I do and not be familiar with them and with Hot Hands and Hot Toes.

I think the reason I like using just the towel and the pad is the simplicity. I don't worry too much about it being too warm or getting to chilly. It just....well...it just sorta is. They go in, they come out, they sleep and play on top, and at the end I can either wash the towel or toss it. Simplicity. I'm too lazy to put much work into stuff I do.

 

[azygous]

Go back and read my edit. The blanket is crucial to make up for any shortages in roof coverage due to small heating pads and large cave sizes.

 

[Blooie]

Go back and read my edit. The blanket is crucial to make up for any shortages in roof coverage due to small heating pads and large cave sizes.

That made sense!

 

[Blooie]

Oh my gosh!!! A few minutes ago I heard a commotion coming from the coop, so I ran out in my jammies with a broom - and no, don't ask me what I thought I was gonna do against some kind of predator with a broom! It was nothing serious. Earlier today I'd rested the plastic baby gate rather precariously against the wall of the coop,intending to fold it up and tuck it away before I came in. I forgot, and the wind came up. It was banging against the side of the coop and finally fell over against the rake stand that I have out there. It was noisy enough that I heard it in my room, but then the coop is only about 15 feet from my bedroom window. Anyway, it made enough noise to disturb the Bigs, and they in turn woke up the Littles. So I just stood out there with the dim flashlight and waited for the sounds of the birds settling back down. In a few minutes all was quiet again, so I thought I'd peek in on the Littles.

Did I ever get a surprise! The littlest Littles were inside the cave where I'd expected them to be, but the Big Littles? I could see a couple of them under the cave, but a few were sleeping on top of the cave, a few were tucked into the straw on the sides, and 2 of the Buff Brahmas and 2 of the Easter Eggers were contentedly snoozing on the roost. Don't they know it's only 44 degrees out there and they are supposed to be wanting temps of 80 degrees 24/7 at this age? it's not like there's not room for all of them in the cave...they just chose where to sleep and the cave wasn't it! I hustled my hiney out of there before I disturbed them again and just left them as they were. I wonder how many nights this past week they've done that.

 

[perchie.girl]

Blooie you need a Littles cam....

deb

 

[dpenning]

Blooie you need a Littles cam....

deb

+1 But then not only would I be spending too much time on forums but I'd be watching streaming chicken TV too! LOL

 

[Blooie]

The Littles cam I'm more anxious to see is azygous'. I kept thinking about how much that space blanket would add to the flexibility of cave sizing, as well as temperature moderation while I was supposed to be dozing off last night! I'm not even sure the foam sides in that idea would be necessary, but it would be so cool to see the whole design in photos. I'm more a visual person than one who "gets it" just by reading. So @azygous - hurry up and get it made and post pics, will ya??

And if I had a Littles Cam out there, I wouldn't be getting much else done either, I'm afraid!

 

[Beekissed]

I've been in the process of designing my "chick cave" for my anticipated six new babies in May. It involves making a "u" frame out of foam from a cheap camp sleeping mattress from Wal-Mart, with dowels to hold it in its "u" shape as well as acting as supports for the "roof" which is the heating pad with towel over it. I plan on gluing heat reflective metalized poly, (otherwise know as a space blanket) on the inside walls of the foam "u".

This design can be built in any size to accommodate an number of chicks. One heating pad would not need to actually cover the entire area beneath since the heat radiating downward will also be reflected off the walls. I haven't built it yet, but I know it works because I made an enclosure for my meal worm farm with the walls, floor, and ceiling all lined with the space blanket material, and it keeps the wigglies warm for 24 hours by simply heating a couple tubs of water once a day and placing them inside under the worm trays. For two or three dozen chicks, I believe you could build a large cave and only need two carefully placed heating pads to adequately heat the large space beneath with the poly lining the walls reflecting heat back onto the chicks.

The space blanket is dirt cheap and can be found in the camping aisle at Wal-Mart. I was thinking that this stuff is so cheap, mail order hatcheries should line their chick shipping boxes with the stuff and there might be less mortality, especially during the colder months. I plan on using it in the box I'll be bringing the chicks back home in when I get them at the post office when they come in.

I'll post photos when I get it built. Don't expect it right away, though.

Might the foam actually serve to insulate the inner area against the heat from the pad? Whereas foam would work on the outside of the pad to contain the heat within, it may just act as an insulating layer to keep the heat out of the inner area, just as it does in a foam ice chest in the summer time. Foam keeps cold things cold and hot things hot, but those things have to be contained inside the foam instead of outside where the heat would just radiate outward into the open space instead of penetrate downward into the thick foam insulation.

 

[Blooie]

That's what I wondered too, Bee, which is why I said that I didn't think the foam was even necessary. But again, I'm such a visual learner that I'd love to see the entire design. It might work to insulate against the outside cold and drafts, rather than being used to help hold heat inside the cave. I love the way people are taking this whole thing and modifying it with ideas and changes. And of course, your encouragement has been invaluable! Are you going to do another "natural hatch" this summer?

 

[Beekissed]

I sure hope not! Though that was a fun experiment and proven that it can be done, I'd rather load up a broody if I can. I now have two hens that are known for going broody so I'm hoping they will do so again...it's the only reason they haven't been culled already, so they need to deliver.

It's possible, though, that I may need to utilize a heating pad brooder for the chicks I'll be hatching in a regular incubator if I don't have a mama available for them.