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

[OEF5]

The one nice thing about our seed mat is that it will go all the way to 115 degrees and the control panel in her pic is very simple to use. I currently have it set at 100, and the top is open air screen, but we put some boards on it to ensure that if the cats DO get on it, they knock stuff off and create a ruckus so we can hear and it will scare them.

the wife can send an updated temp pic later, but when I left for work it was at 83.7 and the chicks were all fast asleep.

We didn't put any bedding in yet, just the puppy pads. I think once we put some of that in it will also help with warmth.

We will keep you all updated and if you would like we can post the seed mat link that we got from Amazon.

 

[Serenashome]

Agrees...sensible way to use a thermometer with an MHP. Observation will be key.
Might want to put a thermometer as other places in the Aq to makes sure it doesn't get too hot inside....block sun from window if necessary.
Sturdy mesh top would go far to insure adequate ventilation.....and keep cats out.

Please do keep us updated on this, I don't think anyone's used a seed mat and followed up.
I played with one briefly, but didn't think it would be warm enough....but your enclosed space could make a difference.

We have a thermometer on the outside of the tank on the opposite side of the MHP. It is reading at 74. The chicks are out playing and eating and pooping prolifically right now. They seem comfortable to run around and have not yet gone back under the MHP for a warm up (just under 2 hours since they woke up). So far so good. Should we start seeing a downside we will definitely let you all know. For me right this moment the ability to wash this mat easily and reuse it for my seeds started in the spring as well as any time I want to grow a little treat for the girls off season is a huge plus.

Oh I should mention because it is plastic it sits on top of the MHP a little more solid than the fabric heating pads do. So it takes less support. We have it sitting on the MHP which is made of welded wire with 2" squares and no other support. As they get bigger we may have to modify, but it is really solid.

Oh in case you all have not notice OEF5 and I are married.

 

[aart]

Quote: Good to know, I wondered, hope I remember.

 

[Jensownzoo]

One thing we did not foresee was that our two cats would seriously try to jump up and get them, but yea, as soon as they came out both cats hit the glass jumping!

I have a rescue cat who has to stay in a two-story ferret cage for now due to illness. I arranged it so the second story looks into the brooder so he can watch "chick TV" and not get too bored!

 

[Blooie]

I buy these rabbit huts at the local feed store, I think they would make a great base for a "cave" my bantams love them.

If you mean to use as a base for MHP, I don't think they'd work very well. Material is so dense that the heat might not penetrate well, and the dome is pretty high. I can see one chicken inside, and she has plenty of room in there - but a chick's back wouldn't be able to be in contact with the pad, which is what they need when they are really tiny. I may have to pick up one or two of those for Katie's 2 little Bantams, though. Thanks for the idea!

Can't imagine those huts would survive a rabbit's teeth for long! I only have one original member of my flock. She's the only hen with a name. "Hola" was the first gal hatched, a black sex link. She's a gorgeous jet black girl, I don't think she's laid an egg this season, but was an awesome layer in her day. She is a moon walker when it's cold, or she's physically stressed. I'm culling some of the older/problem birds to a family who can use the nutrition... hoping to do so this weekend. Was planning to send Hola... but... now, not so sure. What's just one extra mouth to feed for nostalgia sake???? Wish she'd go broody. That would ensure her a retirement home for sure! Any one heard of a retired layer going broody? Some how, I don't imagine it would happen, since it's hormone driven.

I've been complaining about Dumb Daphne for how long now? Yet when he drove away with her in the crate in the back I'm thinking, "But....but....that was DAPHNE!!" Silly chicken hadn't laid an egg since December 2014, then suddenly started up again 3 weeks ago with these long, blue torpedos - same eggs she used to lay before she went on strike. I wasn't sure it was her until I accidentally caught her coming off a nest, and the egg was still wet under her.

But I have to thin things down, he wanted chickens who preferred free ranging to the run (that was Daphne all the way) and she caught his eye immediately. Also gave him 2 Brahmas...a Light and a Buff. I like their calm temperament around the kids, but @Beekissed was so right about them dragging all kinds of stuff into the nests on those heavily feathered feet. With one or two it's not a big deal, but when you have a lot of them, no matter how nicely kept the coop is, poop gets dragged in. I still have one Light and 5 Buffs, good solid birds under all those feathers, and those I definitely want for the meat. I'm going to keep one of each though. I just like them....consistent layers, no issues with our weather, and pretty to look at, so I'm happy. Gladys, Agatha, and Mathilda are still out there. They are really the only ones I've formed a solid attachment to, despite my claims that I can be matter-of-fact about the need for judicious culling. I either underestimated the attachment or I plain out lied. <sigh>

 

[bruceha2000]

My EE is 6 weeks. I've never had EEs before. Are those tufts on the side of the head typical? My other one has a smooth all black head

"Technically" they are "muffs" and yes a desireable feature on an EE. "Tufts" exist in Araucana - rumpless birds, very rare, two copies of the ear tuft gene is fatal.

PearlyGirl

That much color variation must have about given you heart failure trying to figure out if she was maybe a he at the "what gender is it" stage!

hey all! I'm a newbie, but I love the idea of this type of warmth for my chicks!

They are in my 60 degree basement so I had a heat lamp AND and electric radiator in my craft room (where their baby pool brooder is.) on full blast, I was able to get the room to 80 degrees and then the heat lamp did the rest, but my darling husband is horrified at what the electric bill will look like if I keep that up. Today, I made one of these using a wooden stool and my 3 heating pads that I use for growing plants.

I wrapped towels around the heating pads and then covered everything in press and seal. I have 2 'over' and 1 'under' the stool hopefully making a little warm cave.

2 questions:
1: Does this look okay? I have the cords from the heating pads running under the sides of the brooder so they can't get to them.
2: how will I know if they are warm enough, too warm etc.

The stool with pads over the top isn't really providing the "MHP experience". You have pretty much created a heated cave as oppose to the "underside of a hen" "heat on the back" scenario. A single pad lining the underside of a "formable" frame that can be higher in front, lower in back so the chicks can decide how much pad contrat they want at any point in time will do the job of all three of the pads being used to heat the air.

The chick looks like it is feathering well. You know the temp of the pad under the cave frame is right when they spend a lot of time outside the cave during the day but go back in to warm up sometimes. And they should be sleeping in the cave at night. If they aren't it might be too hot. If they don't come out during the day, the pad is likely too cold and they aren't warming up enough when under it.

....
Now I have a question for all of you. My littles are 3 weeks old, and have yet to have their feet on the grass and dirt. At what age can I turn them loose in the run, and will they learn on their own to go back up the ramp and into the coop, or do I need to teach them somehow to use the ramp?

A hen would have them out in the grass and dirt at a couple of days old. Depending on how high off the ground the coop is and how steep the ramp the chicks will figure it out. Wouldn't hurt to play "Hansel and Gretel" and put some chick food on the ramp.
You would definitely want to be out there with them at first to make sure they DO figure out how to get back to the MHP. One difference between the Mama Heating Pad brooder and a real hen brooder is the latter heat source moves with the chicks

Blooie, I still have one of my very first chicks, an eight-year old light Brahma. Lady Di laid her last egg at age six, but she's still top of the pecking order and still kicks @$$ when necessary to maintain order. I have two seven-year old Wyandottes still laying regularly, as well as three six-year olds. They're a geriatric crew, but they still pull their own weight.

Of course, I get new chicks at least every other year so they keep the egg factory going strong. But this is why I've had to add on to the coops and run on a regular basis. Chickens at my place have a secure retirement plan.

Do they have shuffleboard and horseshoes, Mahjong and card tables too?

Oh in case you all have not notice OEF5 and I are married.

Lots of us are married!

Oh, you meant to each other

The family that raises chickens together, stays together.

 

[jrjoplin]

@jrjoplin
 Good job!  And I'll bet there will be a next time, right?  

Next time may be sooner than I expected. Out of my 24 chicks I think I'll end up with less than 10 hens. I like the heavy breeds but my assortment order had about 8 birds that are, IMO, meat birds not dual purpose. At 5 weeks they're already acting like they're too heavy for their frames so I just can't see them going too far past processing age. My goal was to have 12-16 hens but that would have meant the 50/50 split or better in a straight run order. I'm looking at the different pullet assortments at the various hatcheries.

My other rationalization for getting more is that while I have a mixed flock 4 of the breeds are all white. I have white rocks, orpingtons, wyandottes, and giants. I just think I need a little more color in the mix. Any excuse is better than none when it comes to chicken math.

 

[bruceha2000]

.....
My other rationalization for getting more is that while I have a mixed flock 4 of the breeds are all white. I have white rocks, orpingtons, wyandottes, and giants. I just think I need a little more color in the mix. Any excuse is better than none when it comes to chicken math.

I had 2 White Rock pullets last fall, now I have two "ring around the collar" Rocks. They aren't so good at staying clean

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:

very interested in this seed matt progress....

Wow Is that an Aquarium stand? or a Couch table.... Awesome piece of furniture either way.

FWIW sixty gallons of water weighs about 530 pounds....

I have a 110 waiting for its next job. Not raising chicks in it though.

deb

 

[OEF5]

very interested in this seed matt progress....

Wow Is that an Aquarium stand? or a Couch table.... Awesome piece of furniture either way.

FWIW sixty gallons of water weighs about 530 pounds....

I have a 110 waiting for its next job. Not raising chicks in it though.

deb

@perchie.girl Yes it's a sofa table that matches all of our furniture in the basement, as you can tell no room for it lol. We used this exact same set up for our seedlings already. It's also a 55 gallon tank that we had a bearded dragon in for at least four years until he passed.

The wife has already reported today that the chicks are coming and going under the mat today. She said that they first spent 2 hours out, then went under for 20 minutes or so and came back out. As she stated the temp in the whole thing is holding at about 72-74, so they are not going to freeze to death lol. When we clean it out tonight I'll get some pics of the mat and the setup that we have right now. She did an awesome job of shaping the welded wire so that the mat is pretty flat.

This is the mat http://tinyurl.com/jxwphlb

This is the thermostat control http://tinyurl.com/z6kjyxt

So as you can see we really have gotten our money out of it considering we started over 20 peppers, 10 tomatoes, gourds and such with it.

We only put the towel over it so they wouldn't slip if they hop up on it. They are still a bit small to hop on it right now, but not for lack of trying!