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

[PapaChaz]

We may be jumping to conclusions here anyway and she's working on a truly innovative way to brood chicks. If so, I wish her all the success in the world.

well I won't name names, but in her last pm to me, which I asked her not to do anymore, she clearly told me that she was taking what she'd seen here, and copying one of the brand names that's on the market to make them lower priced. I don't think that's really considered innovative, LOL there is a word for it, but I ain't saying it.....

in response to the person who said, maybe she's just trying to appeal to those who just want it straight out of the box, well, there are those out there already, that are apparently going to be copied. Wonder if they have patents on them.....

anyway, I apologize for stirring this up, Blooie I was in NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM aiming this at you at all. I'm shushing now. I don't have a mama heating pad cave thingamajig in my brooder, but before I do another batch of chicks, I will make one based on the tremendous ideas posted here, they look incredible and I can see how they would be so much better than the heat lamp.

 

[Blooie]

In the overall scheme of life if this is the worst thing that happens we've all got it made. I'm sorry you got PM'd into the middle of something, PapaChaz, but you handled it just fine. And you don't need to apologize to me - that's silly!

I'm shushing too.

 

[Beekissed]

If she PMs you again, you might give her this link... http://injury.findlaw.com/product-liability/what-is-product-liability.html Not something to mess with if a person wants to avoid being liable for injury, property damage, loss of life, etc.

 

[Cearbhael]

well I won't name names, but in her last pm to me, which I asked her not to do anymore, she clearly told me that she was taking what she'd seen here, and copying one of the brand names that's on the market to make them lower priced. I don't think that's really considered innovative, LOL there is a word for it, but I ain't saying it.....

in response to the person who said, maybe she's just trying to appeal to those who just want it straight out of the box, well, there are those out there already, that are apparently going to be copied. Wonder if they have patents on them.....

anyway, I apologize for stirring this up, Blooie I was in NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM aiming this at you at all. I'm shushing now. I don't have a mama heating pad cave thingamajig in my brooder, but before I do another batch of chicks, I will make one based on the tremendous ideas posted here, they look incredible and I can see how they would be so much better than the heat lamp.

Don't worry overly, if she is copying a brand name, you can bet your boots there are patents and if she tries to market something copied she WILL see lawsuits in her future. That is why patents exist, to protect truly innovative and creative entrepreneurs, from people who think they can make a close copy and ride their coat tails to success.

 

[lazy gardener]

I can say that I am incredibly thankful for the benefit of having the heating pad brooder. I don't know how I survived raising chicks without it before! To take those littles and stick them right into the coop (I waited until they were a week old, b/c there were a couple who where not the brightest crayons in the box!) and to be able to go to bed at night without fiddling with the brooder lamp temps... Amazing! I do go out after dark, just to check to see that they're all tucked in. They have been doing that every night since the first night, when I had to shove them in a couple of times.

 

[PapaChaz]

If she PMs you again, you might give her this link... http://injury.findlaw.com/product-liability/what-is-product-liability.html Not something to mess with if a person wants to avoid being liable for injury, property damage, loss of life, etc.

she won't, I blocked her........LOL

 

[Blooie]

I can say that I am incredibly thankful for the benefit of having the heating pad brooder. I don't know how I survived raising chicks without it before! To take those littles and stick them right into the coop (I waited until they were a week old, b/c there were a couple who where not the brightest crayons in the box!) and to be able to go to bed at night without fiddling with the brooder lamp temps... Amazing! I do go out after dark, just to check to see that they're all tucked in. They have been doing that every night since the first night, when I had to shove them in a couple of times.

Scout was the first chick I used this system for, and I figured if he could do well in temps of -4 with no other chicks to snuggle with, there had to be something to this odd way of raising the little boogers. I know you were apprehensive at first because some of yours had a rough start, so I'm doubly glad that you are liking it.

 

[nordicacres]

Well, I can vouch for this method. Yesterday we got four cute little EE chicks and I wanted to separate them from my older chicks (5 weeks today) who are using the Sweeter Heater. So I decided to use an old heating blanket (don't care if it gets ruined) and it is working great! The chicks have a warm little cave and are toasty warm under there. I may actually order the heating pad so that it can be used multiple times. I have no way of keeping the blanket clean (which is fine because this was my blanket when I was a kid! Oh the stuff my Mom saves, lol).

 

[Blooie]

Well, I can vouch for this method. Yesterday we got four cute little EE chicks and I wanted to separate them from my older chicks (5 weeks today) who are using the Sweeter Heater. So I decided to use an old heating blanket (don't care if it gets ruined) and it is working great! The chicks have a warm little cave and are toasty warm under there. I may actually order the heating pad so that it can be used multiple times. I have no way of keeping the blanket clean (which is fine because this was my blanket when I was a kid! Oh the stuff my Mom saves, lol).

Yayyy! I never would have thought of a heating blanket, but necessity is the mother of invention, right? How do you deal with the size of it? Is it folded or something? Can you share pictures? Love seeing this idea at work in different situations, and who can ever get enough of looking at new chicks?

The only concern I have is the age of the blanket......my brilliant electrician hubby chimed in once when someone was going to use a way old heating pad. He said in the older ones, the elements that run through it can become brittle with age, and that may cause a short. You say you've had this one since you were little. In my case that was a looong looooonng time ago - it might not be that long ago for you! But I'd kind of keep an eye on that - check it periodically with your hands and make sure there aren't any "hot spots". Otherwise it should be fine. I am now the proud owner of two of the Sunbeam Insta-heat heating pads, the small one and the extra large one, and they are just for raising chicks. So when they no longer need the pads, the covers will be washed following the manufacturer's suggestions and then the pads will be put away until the next time.

Waiting for pics!

 

[nordicacres]

I'll keep an eye on it, TY! I have it folded over and set on top of a cookie sheet with attached legs. The blanket itself is less than 20 years old and seems to heat evenly. The chicks seem to love it. Whenever I check on them they are toasty warm and cuddled up against it in their cave. I'm probably going to cover it with an old towel just so it doesn't get too dirty. This is really just temporary. In the next week or two my larger chicks shouldn't need supplemental heat anymore and then the littles will use the Sweeter Heater instead. Here are some not great pics!

Sleepy chick basking in the sun!