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

[perchie.girl]

So...first time I've posted on this thread, found it yesterday and thought the heating pad was an awesome idea! I have 21 chicks coming in a month, and I have already set my indoor brooder up with two cave frames! I thought I'll probably need two of them for that many chicks. I am ready to purchase the pads and get the temp right, and I can also use them in my (soon to be expanded) chicken house.

I had a thought: and someone may have already brought this up... Anyone think to use the mama heating pad idea in an incubator? This is what I'm imagining... Line walls of box with Styrofoam to keep heat in, put large heating pad on bottom, with water pan/sponge on it, wire grate with towel and eggs on top of pan. Then make a cave that is only two to three inches tall and has heating pad on it to simulate broody hen butt! And of course a fan for air circulation. What do you all think?

Incubation takes a little tighter control on temps than a heating pad can give. With chicks they can come and go to regulate as they need.

deb

 

[COChix]

@Blooie- Here's ours! I had an old tomato cage I had kept moving around the yard... I trimmed it up, squished it in the "back" and here we are! Here is one of the (Craigslist $20!) repurposed cabinet-brooders we are finishing. Hubby added more vent holes and a strip along the inside of the doors to keep shavings in. Just put 28 into lockdown tonight- first hatch! Wish me luck! I accidentally wrapped the whole thing in press n seal... Oops! Will change it tomorrow

Nice set up. I did a tomatoe cage MHP last year. As Blooie said, you might want to flatten the cage down so they can snuggle up against the HP. Also I would highly suggest wrapping the top of frame in hardware cloth as they like to snuggle and climb on top of the heat pad as well. I used chicken wire last year which worked ok. However as others have pointed out the chicks can get wedged. Will post a few picks of mine last year. Rather than picks here is a link to my album. Good job and it is so much fun!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/g/a/6982188/no-heat-lamp-brooder-chicks-outside/

 

[10AcreChick]

So far, this is what I have, Blooie. I've still got to get the heating pads, and I set up two feeders and one waterer with vertical nipples. Of course, litter and chicks to come, too! I'm hoping the little ones take to the water nipples and later teach the old girls, who stubbornly refused last time I tried. This brooder will actually double as an incubator, once I block off half of it.

I'll check out that link you sent; I'm really intrigued with possibly using heating pads for eggs. Thinking I'll have to rotate eggs from middle of "hen" to outer edge. Even Broody hens have to get up and go eat sometimes, so I don't buy this whole "have to buy a perfect incubator from the store" thing.

 

[COChix]

So far, this is what I have, Blooie. I've still got to get the heating pads, and I set up two feeders and one waterer with vertical nipples. Of course, litter and chicks to come, too! I'm hoping the little ones take to the water nipples and later teach the old girls, who stubbornly refused last time I tried. This brooder will actually double as an incubator, once I block off half of it.

I'll check out that link you sent; I'm really intrigued with possibly using heating pads for eggs. Thinking I'll have to rotate eggs from middle of "hen" to outer edge. Even Broody hens have to get up and go eat sometimes, so I don't buy this whole "have to buy a perfect incubator from the store" thing.

From my experience with nipple waters and chicks, I introduced week old hatched chicks to horizontal bucket waterer, pulled all other water sources, called "here chick chick" tapped the nipples to make noise and let them see water coming out. The rest is history. Never looked back as far as waterers.

Nice looking clean set up!

 

[10AcreChick]

Lol, yeah it won't be clean for long! We tried the nipples this past summer, but my chickens are free range and there are other animals, dogs and cats, outside, so taking away all other water sources was not possible.

I am so excited about the MHP, wish my eggs would come today!

 

[aart]

So far, this is what I have, Blooie. I've still got to get the heating pads, and I set up two feeders and one waterer with vertical nipples. Of course, litter and chicks to come, too! I'm hoping the little ones take to the water nipples and later teach the old girls, who stubbornly refused last time I tried. This brooder will actually double as an incubator, once I block off half of it.

I'll check out that link you sent; I'm really intrigued with possibly using heating pads for eggs. Thinking I'll have to rotate eggs from middle of "hen" to outer edge. Even Broody hens have to get up and go eat sometimes, so I don't buy this whole "have to buy a perfect incubator from the store" thing.

I hope you start a thread about your incubation....post link here if you do so we can all follow!

 

[10AcreChick]

Oh I definitely will, but it won't be until next winter; my next rooster is a barred rock who hasn't hatched yet! Lol

I incubated last spring, my first time and homemade, I learned a lot and only hatched seven, but due to inexperience and predators, I have none of those left.

 

[curious chickee]

Placed on under side of shelf on the very bottom, they can snuggle underneath the shelf. Designed for my chicks weaning off heat in the grow out pen. Shelf is about 6 inches off the ground.
Breeding bantam brahmas so they are only a foot tall full grown.

 

[gotro17]

@Blooie So it seems I'm having the biggest issue with what size towel...

As for the back, is that where I should squish down the wire, or all over? I'd like to use this in their grow out coop too! Thank you!

 

[Beekissed]

Incubation takes a little tighter control on temps than a heating pad can give. With chicks they can come and go to regulate as they need.

deb

Nope...it's been done. Quite successfully, I might add, once the kinks were worked out. I'd do it again...had just as good a hatch rate as other homemade bators with way less fuss and messing around with humidity and such.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ral-nest-incubation-experiment-1-so-it-begins