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

[circlehouse]

Not only did I cloth diaper my kids (It was either that or go back to work, so I could afford disposables.  No thank you!) but I made many of my own diapers.  That was in the day when it was actually cheaper to buy the cloth and make stuff myself than it was to buy it.  Now, it cost more to make a lot of stuff than it does to buy it.

I made diapers too! Staying home with my kids has been worth so many sacrifices! So happy to have another use for them now, with the MHP.

 

[aart]

Quote: Haha....poop doesn't 'scare' me either.
I'd rather protect the $40 heating pad as much as possible.......and toss a $2 towel.

 

[csneill]

My husband was a little appalled to find out I turned 'his' heating pad into a chick warmer. 'Like the one I use on my back?!?' he said. I told him it's all covered & protected. Then I told him I'd just buy him a new one!

 

[duluthralphie]

My husband was a little appalled to find out I turned 'his' heating pad into a chick warmer. 'Like the one I use on my back?!?' he said. I told him it's all covered & protected. Then I told him I'd just buy him a new one!

My wife thought I had turned hers into a chicken hut.......When she wanted to know if that was her hearting pad, I told her " Nope, I got the chicks a much nicer one than yours".

 

[csneill]

Lol. That's really funny!

 

[bruceha2000]

Found this one, no auto shut off, stays on. One of the reviews is from someone who has a wildlife rescue! For 4 chicks I think it'll do alright!

http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/su...0948&sst=33f4447f-9e95-4dcc-9875-93cae2742000

Yep that will do just fine for 4 chicks. I do note that it says the COVER is washable whereas the XpressHeat pads themselves are washable (the cover is not removable). So you would want to make sure nothing gets through that cover onto the pad.

Quote:
I will admit to never having made a cloth diaper but have changed and washed many. I have lots of cloth diapers that haven't seen a baby's butt for close to 20 years. But they make great rags for almost anything, including "washcloths" when you are backpacking.

My wife thought I had turned hers into a chicken hut.......When she wanted to know if that was her hearting pad, I told her " Nope, I got the chicks a much nicer one than yours".

You are always just ASKING for a

from your wife aren't you!

 

[Beezer]

Would this work as a frame for a very small MHP? Like 3-5 chicks? It's meant to adding extra layer of shelving in a pantry, very very sturdy, 5 1/2" tall, 15 " wide 71/2 " deep. Is is a problem that it's not curved? I really like the idea of using the heat pad instead of a heat lamp because I'm kind of paranoid about fire.

 

[junebuggena]

Would this work as a frame for a very small MHP? Like 3-5 chicks? It's meant to adding extra layer of shelving in a pantry, very very sturdy, 5 1/2" tall, 15 " wide 71/2 " deep. Is is a problem that it's not curved? I really like the idea of using the heat pad instead of a heat lamp because I'm kind of paranoid about fire.

The problem with using frames like this is that they aren't adjustable as the chicks grow. And they do grow really fast. It's too tall for day olds, and it might be a bit too low for 2 week olds.

 

[azygous]

The azygous "queenly quartet" are all settled in and have made themselves completely at home in their chick pen out in the run. They were conveyed in a wicker basket on a hot water bottle fifty miles across the prairie from a feed store that was nice enough to order me just four chicks.

They are using MHP like pros. So far, they are more excited about having all this sand to dirt bathe in and nibble, but they know what their chick food is. They haven't warmed up to the fermented feed yet, and are eating the dry crumbles on the plastic lid their MHP is sitting on. They don't like the feel of the fermented feed on their beaks and wipe their beaks right after they try it.

These are "Ameraucanas" or EEs. They hatched yesterday, so this is their first excursion into the real world. They are covering every inch of their pen, and spending more time doing that than they are under the heating pad. It's 70F here. They don't seem to need much warming up. This is a good lesson for people who insist their chicks need to be kept at a constant temperature of precisely 95F or, OMG THEY WILL DIE!

 

[junebuggena]

The azygous "queenly quartet" are all settled in and have made themselves completely at home in their chick pen out in the run. They were conveyed in a wicker basket on a hot water bottle fifty miles across the prairie from a feed store that was nice enough to order me just four chicks.

They are using MHP like pros. So far, they are more excited about having all this sand to dirt bathe in and nibble, but they know what their chick food is. They haven't warmed up to the fermented feed yet, and are eating the dry crumbles on the plastic lid their MHP is sitting on. They don't like the feel of the fermented feed on their beaks and wipe their beaks right after they try it.

These are "Ameraucanas" or EEs. They hatched yesterday, so this is their first excursion into the real world. They are covering every inch of their pen, and spending more time doing that than they are under the heating pad. It's 70F here. They don't seem to need much warming up. This is a good lesson for people who insist their chicks need to be kept at a constant temperature of precisely 95F or, OMG THEY WILL DIE!

lol. My 12-day old chicks have been outside in the grow-out coop most of today and it's only (gasp) 63*! That's actually pretty warm for around here. My adults are all panting. Oh, and their pad has been on the low setting for the last 3 days. They are already sprouting back feathers.