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

[perchie.girl]

Just finished my new design for my MHP. Thanks to everyone who offered their advice during my planning stages. A special thanks to those who have built a solid frame unit before as I took inspiration from all of them.

I used a 3/4" plywood project panel that was left over for the sides and back in an effort to hold heat in since my heating pad doesn't wrap down to the sides. There are holes every inch staring at 2 inches for the adjustable shelf pegs (like you would find in a bookcase) which allows the MHP to be raised and lowered without creating a gap where the chicks could get caught. I may or may not have gone out to the Brinsea website to see where the Ecoglow's height settings started and ended; mine will go higher than an Ecoglow although I doubt that will be needed.



The shelf is a 1x2 frame with hardware cloth to support the Heating pad then topped with a piece of 3/8" plywood covered with a towel.









Here it is set up in the brooder I'll include an outside shot so you can see my overall setup. The LED lights don't put off any heat and are for my working purposes only the brooder sits between two windows so most times the chicks only get natural light. The entire brooder plugs in and has outlets on the back for the MHP and anything else that may require electricity. Chicks don't arrive for two weeks so everything isn't setup yet.





I have a stack of older towels so I'm debating not putting anything to cover it and keep it clean. I could always wrap the top piece and towel in the ever popular Press-n-Seal if they start soiling them too quickly.

** for anyone wondering that is last weeks project still in the garage. My partner is disabled so this year the garden is being elevated so it can be worked from the mobility scooter that you can see in the first picture. I've made 8 6'x2' elevated garden beds and will make one more that is slightly shorter and wider for tomato plants. They need a coat of sealant on the outside and it's been raining most of the week so they aren't quite ready to live outside.

LOVE IT.... just about what I want to do for raising Guinea Keets... As far as handicap access... Here is my poultry house design

 

[jrjoplin]

@perchie.girl Although we have one, a manual wheelchair isn't an option for self mobility and we don't have a power wheelchair (yet). Adjusting my coop plans for the scooter wasn't feasible so all the coop chores fall to me. I retired at 39 (it was cheaper than getting a nurse) and have a lot of time on my hands so I don't complain about chores that give me something to do.

 

[lindynik]

Hi all! I have read through just about all the posts on here and have been getting ready for the 4 babies we'll be picking up next weekend. I've learned so much from everyone, thank you so much for posting your versions of MHP! I don't post on here often, mostly a lurker, but I wanted to get feedback on my MHP set-up before my new family members arrive. Here is what I have done from start to finish.

Step 1. The wire frame - It's 4 inches at the tallest point and tappers down to the ground. The cord to is a bit of an akward shape so that side is flat on the ground so the cord can sit flat also. The cave is open on both sides for easy entrance and exit.

Step 2. Attaching the heating pad - I bought a 12"x15" (the only size they had) Sunbeam XpressHeat heating pad that has the "stay on" option. I decided to put the heating pad on the underside of the frame and attach it with little bungee cords. I had to fold one edge of the pad because it was a bit bigger than the frame. Whoops! I made sure I was only bending cloth and no heating wires inside.

Step 3. Covering it all up - I took an old ratty pillowcase and borrowed my moms sewing machine to make it a bit smaller. I haven't used a sewing machine for probably 15 years, but luckily I only had to make one straight(ish) line so it turned out ok. I then used hem tape to close up the open side and hopefully keep chicks from getting stuck.

Here's the hem tape holding the pillow case closed. This will be against the floor of the brooder box.

And that's it! I'll be putting a towel or cloth diaper over the top to help keep it clean, and maybe on the underside as well. I used two thermometers and found that on the highest setting (6), where the pad meets the floor on the cozy tapered side it read 104F and where it's 4 inches tall it reads 86F. I'm sure they will find their perfect spot and if not, I can always turn it down. I'll watch their behavior and adjust the temp as needed.

Here's the whole set up.

I'd love to hear your feedback. I'll be sure to post photos after they arrive!

Thanks!

 

[perchie.girl]

@perchie.girl Although we have one, a manual wheelchair isn't an option for self mobility and we don't have a power wheelchair (yet). Adjusting my coop plans for the scooter wasn't feasible so all the coop chores fall to me. I retired at 39 (it was cheaper than getting a nurse) and have a lot of time on my hands so I don't complain about chores that give me something to do.

I designed for a wheel chair because that was the ergo form I could find. I use a rolling walker its the same width. Actually all duties can be done from the Aisle no matter your locomotion. Feed Water and egg collection. I have plans for a vacuum unit for cleaning if necessary.

My aisle is six feet wide... Actually the whole thing is designed on a six by six kennel panel. I plan to build it myself... each panel takes two clamps... The only thing I cant build is the roof.

Sigh my retirement is spent taking care of my 99 year old grandmother. Home is sixty miles away.

deb

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hi all! I have read through just about all the posts on here and have been getting ready for the 4 babies we'll be picking up next weekend. I've learned so much from everyone, thank you so much for posting your versions of MHP! I don't post on here often, mostly a lurker, but I wanted to get feedback on my MHP set-up before my new family members arrive. Here is what I have done from start to finish.

Step 1. The wire frame - It's 4 inches at the tallest point and tappers down to the ground. The cord to is a bit of an akward shape so that side is flat on the ground so the cord can sit flat also. The cave is open on both sides for easy entrance and exit.

Step 2. Attaching the heating pad - I bought a 12"x15" (the only size they had) Sunbeam XpressHeat heating pad that has the "stay on" option. I decided to put the heating pad on the underside of the frame and attach it with little bungee cords. I had to fold one edge of the pad because it was a bit bigger than the frame. Whoops! I made sure I was only bending cloth and no heating wires inside.

Step 3. Covering it all up - I took an old ratty pillowcase and borrowed my moms sewing machine to make it a bit smaller. I haven't used a sewing machine for probably 15 years, but luckily I only had to make one straight(ish) line so it turned out ok. I then used hem tape to close up the open side and hopefully keep chicks from getting stuck.

Here's the hem tape holding the pillow case closed. This will be against the floor of the brooder box.

And that's it! I'll be putting a towel or cloth diaper over the top to help keep it clean, and maybe on the underside as well. I used two thermometers and found that on the highest setting (6), where the pad meets the floor on the cozy tapered side it read 104F and where it's 4 inches tall it reads 86F. I'm sure they will find their perfect spot and if not, I can always turn it down. I'll watch their behavior and adjust the temp as needed.

Here's the whole set up.

I'd love to hear your feedback. I'll be sure to post photos after they arrive!

Thanks!

Love it! But are they inside or outside? If inside, I,would recommend turning it down. I had mine on 6 the first week and had one get pasty butt and unfortunately die. The rest were fine though but 6 is for like teens and negative temps, people brooding outside. I of course hadn't realized that because I just saw Blooie had it on the highest and assumed mine should be too and only learned later. I turned it down immediately and had no other issues then they moved to the garage outside at 3 weeks and outside at 7. I had mine on 4 I thibk but was suggested it didn't even need to be above 2 or 3. I think thats too low but 4 worked for us. It doesn't need to be too hot, just warm and cozy. Although I used the shipping box for the week before i got a wire cave set up so it probably trapped even more heat and was more dangerous, I didn't think about that bit, and yours is open on both ends and very high on the one end so it's possible that it could be fine and/or that a lot of heat will escape and having it higher may be equivalent to a lower setting because of that but sti just something else to think about.

 

[ShrekDawg]

But either way i would definitely go by chick behavior.

 

[Mitch Mullenax]

My first night with MHP was a success! We picked up 8 chicks last night and put them right in the cave. I checked on them couple times overnight and everybody was snuggled in the back. I admit I was very nervous, I live in upstate NY and it called for temps in the 30's but this morning I went out and everybody was out and eating!

Where in upstate are you? We about three hours north of Albany?

 

[lindynik]

Ooouu good point! My chicks will be inside an un-heated back room in a cardboard box till they out grow that and move into the outdoor coop. I'll test the temperature of the lower settings and most definitely will watch their behavior and see what they think about it. I only have one plan that whole first day and I bet you can guess what it is!

Thanks for giving me something to think about and watch out for.

I'm sorry to hear about the one you lost.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Ooouu good point! My chicks will be inside an un-heated back room in a cardboard box till they out grow that and move into the outdoor coop. I'll test the temperature of the lower settings and most definitely will watch their behavior and see what they think about it. I only have one plan that whole first day and I bet you can guess what it is!

Thanks for giving me something to think about and watch out for.

I'm sorry to hear about the one you lost.

If the room is unheated then it could be fine on a higher setting, depending on your climate, but a lot of places are starting to warm up now. I would try it on 4 first and then depending on if they are cold or not you can turn it up or turn it even lower. I personally would rather have them be a little bit colder and be able to turn it down than way too hot and have them get pasty butt. Obviously not freeze them to death but sure you know what I mean. but yours is very open too but body heat will also help warm them up.

No problem and good luck with the cuties!!

And thank you!! It was really sad too because she started getting sick at 5 days old and I thought I fixed her but it came back the next day way worse and she was unfortunately too weak too save

she had such a short, sad, little life. But I like to think it was a good one. But it worked out because I had added their free chick so I would up with 8 surviving which is a good number. Would have been nice if all 9 lived though. I had 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Black Australorps, 3 Buff Orpingtons, and 2 Easter Eggers. The one I lost was a little Barred Rock and you probably guessed the little Orpington was the extra. Luckily all turned out to be female. They're 20 weeks now.

Good luck with yours and enjoy them while they're tiny!! They grow incredibly fast!

 

[beautifulpirate]

We are having an unseasonably warm day today. Our high will be 83 and I was curious if it that is warm enough to let our 3 day old chicks have a venture outside for a couple hours? I'll be right there with them and will have an enclosure for them.