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

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Blooie said:
All you can do is give it a try.  I'm not sure how they will take to it...if they have no alternative and are shown where the heat is, they might be able to use it well. I had to show Scout - once - but he was used to being under Mom so the dark didn't bother him.  These new guys taught themselves for the most part.  They change so fast as chicks - daily more than weekly.  So I would think that the sooner you get them started, the better off you'll be.  I'd also set it up early in the morning so they have all day when it's light to explore it and figure out that it's warm in there.  Good luck!
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Thanks!
 
@n3kms I've been thinking since your post asking about your two-weekers and my response. You know, I wonder....if they don't take to it after being around it all day, I'll bet if you turned out the lights and tucked them all under it, they'd stay. That's what we usually do when we have to deal with adult chickens - we wait until they are roosting after dark to pick them up and move or check something on them. It's even the most sensible way to try to introduce new birds to a flock or chicks to a broody. You wait until dark when they're asleep and either add the new birds or slip the chicks under the broody. So maybe if they slept soundly and snuggly all night, came out in the morning to food and water, and you put them back the next night in the same way, it would help the process along.
 
I cannot say how much im in love with this idea I have my first eggs supposed to hatch on the 13th and I just ordered the pad you linked to im so excited! I currently have chicks under a light in my livingroom and I cant wait to not have those lights going! This is a much better alternative.
 
I thought I'd show Mama Heating Pad at work. The video starts out dark, so don't adjust your set:

0.jpg

In the video I said the chicks were 5 days old - Ken reminded me that they are actually 6 days old. I think it's very telling that even though they'd only been "in bed" for about 15 minutes when I started this, the minute the light comes on they think it's morning and run out to drink and eat like it'd been hours since they last topped off. Makes you wonder how much energy they expend doing that all night long with lights. I seriously doubt that a broody hen gets them up every 10 minutes to eat and drink. And the ones that do go to sleep can't stay asleep long with other, wide awake chicks tromping all over and around them.
 
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Blooie said:
I thought I'd show Mama Heating Pad at work. The video starts out dark, so don't adjust your set: In the video I said the chicks were 5 days old - Ken reminded me that they are actually 6 days old. I think it's very telling that even though they'd only been "in bed" for about 15 minutes when I started this, the minute the light comes on they think it's morning and run out to drink and eat like it'd been hours since they last topped off. Makes you wonder how much energy they expend doing that all night long with lights. I seriously doubt that a broody hen gets them up every 10 minutes to eat and drink. And the ones that do go to sleep can't stay asleep long with other, wide awake chicks tromping all over and around them.
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Super cute chicks! I've wanted to do a heatpad like you've got yours setup as. However, I can't get past the potential fire hazard.. I don't like heat lamps for the same reason. I'm going to brood 4-5 chicks in my German Shepard's old wire crate, do you think I'd need that huge of a heatpad? It's $30+ on amazon and I'm trying to keep costs down..
 
I will throw in the first brainstorming idea... How about a colander/strainer? Being a dome may be a bit harder to mold the pad to, but it seems workable and you can pick up plastic ones from dollar stores to cut up.

I wish my heating pad had an auto off cancel feature...
 
cosmic chicken said:
I will throw in the first brainstorming idea... How about a colander/strainer? Being a dome may be a bit harder to mold the pad to, but it seems workable and you can pick up plastic ones from dollar stores to cut up.

I wish my heating pad had an auto off cancel feature...
Click to expand...

I was considering a mil crate but I like the colander idea much better. Especially for small batches of chicks.
 
RichnSteph said:
I was considering a mil crate but I like the colander idea much better. Especially for small batches of chicks.
Click to expand...


What is a mill crate?

Another thought... I am not sure what temp range these have or if it can be modified, but heated pipe tape as a warming source? Given that it is quite flexible it would be easy to mold to a colander/box/etc.... Hmmmm...
 

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