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

[bruceha2000]

They are almost 7 feet up. There are roost bars on both walls that they could use to get down if they so desired, but they prefer to fly down. I watched them get up there last night, and they use the highest roost bar on the right side of the coop to get up to the ledge on the wall, where the wall meets the gable panel. Then they jump/fly to the metal framing bars. In another week or two, they will be too big to maneuver on the ledge they are using to get all the way up there, it's only about 3 inches wide.

Mine don't seem interested in flying down to intermediate levels. Maybe chickens aren't as good as song birds at landing on relatively narrow surfaces. My roost are only 4' high and they still seem to land kinda hard flying down (with enough room to do so). I would be worried about a 7' drop even with plenty of runway. I've watched some of my girls fly a distance from the ground to the ground and even then they hit a bit hard running while they land. They don't seem to have the wing power to nearly hover just before they hit the way non ground birds do.

MistyMountain. I purchased a 12x36 wire closet shelf. I tacked a small 4x4 remnant to each end. I put the heating pads directly on the shelf and cut towels to fit (3 layers) topped with straw. I took the pillow cases off the heating pads after my favorite chick got inside the pillow case and cooked. I also had chicks constantly getting in the folds of the towels so I eliminated the folds and pillow cases so hopefully it will be more difficult for them to commit suicide. I'm pretty pleased with this set up, the towel edges hang down low so they have to duck under to get in the cave. The only downside is that I don't think it retains heat as well as my other one did, but the nights are in the 50s so it should be warm enough. I lost 4 chicks to "the cave" out of 28 and I have 2 with pasty butt under a light in the house since one of those is much smaller than the rest.

I don't understand the concept of all the layers of towel on top. I THINK Blooie put a single ragged towel on top just to keep the poo off the heating pad. You aren't trying to heat the air space in the cave and the side of the pad under the frame up against the chicks back will be warm whether you "insulate" the top of the frame or not. Seems to me the more layers there are the greater the possibility a chick will find a way to die in them.

Hello. I'm new to chicks, got two last Thurs and getting 7 more this Thurs. Made a MHP and the two LOVE it, so thank you. The only question I have is what can I do to make the top not so slippery? I put the pine shavings on top but they slide off. The chicks do manage to climb up but I see them slipping and I don't want them to get hurt, and I can only imagine this will get worse when I add the new chicks this week.

Here's a pic of the set up.

I would bend the frame so that it is more of an alcove than a deep cave. Front on the long side of the pad, short sides touching the ground. Rear (also a long side) open or closed seems to be a matter of personal preference. Besides having less possibility of a chick being stuck in the cave a foot from an exit area (more of a problem when there are a lot of chicks), the whole thing will be a lot flatter and your chicks won't have to work to stay on top.

 

[Jensownzoo]

Hello. I'm new to chicks, got two last Thurs and getting 7 more this Thurs. Made a MHP and the two LOVE it, so thank you. The only question I have is what can I do to make the top not so slippery? I put the pine shavings on top but they slide off. The chicks do manage to climb up but I see them slipping and I don't want them to get hurt, and I can only imagine this will get worse when I add the new chicks this week.

Here's a pic of the set up.

You could put a layer of shelf liner on top. A roll would make several pieces so you could rotate them out if they got too poopy.

 

[Blooie]

Hi! Cute chicks! If it's possible, can you smoosh (MHP technical term) the top down so it's not quite as domed? If it's a little flatter on the top, that will help a lot.

 

[saraem]

I'm back with another non-MHP question for all of you "let chickens be chickens" people.

Would you let 6 and 4 week old chicks out of the coop if it's raining (not hard)? I don't even know if they'll want to go out...but should I keep them locked up? MHP no longer in use so there's no heat source in the coop but it's pretty warm out (70). I've never had a mama hen to watch so I'm not sure if she would keep them inside in inclement weather at this age.

ETA: I mean to free-range. There is always access to the covered run.

 

[saraem]

Hi! Cute chicks! If it's possible, can you smoosh (MHP technical term) the top down so it's not quite as domed? If it's a little flatter on the top, that will help a lot.

Agreed and I would also turn it the other way so the opening is along the long side of the pad. It looks like you have the same size that I did and that worked well. I also wrapped the whole thing in an old torn sweatshirt (inside out) which the shavings and the chicks feet "stuck" to better.

 

[junebuggena]

I'm back with another non-MHP question for all of you "let chickens be chickens" people.

Would you let 6 and 4 week old chicks out of the coop if it's raining (not hard)? I don't even know if they'll want to go out...but should I keep them locked up? MHP no longer in use so there's no heat source in the coop but it's pretty warm out (70). I've never had a mama hen to watch so I'm not sure if she would keep them inside in inclement weather at this age.

ETA: I mean to free-range. There is always access to the covered run.

Absolutely open up the coop. Let them decide if they want out or not. My 6 week olds handled a couple of rainy days over the weekend with no problems.

 

[Leahs Mom]

For me, rain is not the issue. Hawks are!

 

[bruceha2000]

I'm back with another non-MHP question for all of you "let chickens be chickens" people.

Would you let 6 and 4 week old chicks out of the coop if it's raining (not hard)? I don't even know if they'll want to go out...but should I keep them locked up? MHP no longer in use so there's no heat source in the coop but it's pretty warm out (70). I've never had a mama hen to watch so I'm not sure if she would keep them inside in inclement weather at this age.

ETA: I mean to free-range. There is always access to the covered run.

Open the door and they will decide. When my first batch (June 2012 hatchery) were young, and by young I mean even 4-5 months old, they didn't go out in the rain. The next spring they did though.The 2015 chicks went out in the rain much younger because they were just following mama and the rest of the flock. My White Rocks are brown. Hard to stay white when you go out in the rain then come back in for your dust bath.

 

[KiminPA]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions I'll make some changes this afternoon and see how they do

 

[Victoria-nola]

Quote:
I would bend the frame so that it is more of an alcove than a deep cave. Front on the long side of the pad, short sides touching the ground. Rear (also a long side) open or closed seems to be a matter of personal preference. Besides having less possibility of a chick being stuck in the cave a foot from an exit area (more of a problem when there are a lot of chicks), the whole thing will be a lot flatter and your chicks won't have to work to stay on top.

x2. Also, I can't quite make out what I'm seeing, is that the heating pad or a towel covered in the plastic stuff? It looks slicker than normal. I know that a lot of people use the plastic coating stuff, but I don't see the need really, it's easy to shake out a towel and wash it. I'm new to the MHP game, though I've had chickens and chicks for several years. I am using it now with my chicks that just hatched, and it is WONDERFUL!!!! btw I got 11 chicks from my first incubated batch of eggs.