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

[jeapa]

Jeapa, I am sorry about the loss of your flock. I know how devastating that can be. I have a feeling we all have lost at one time or another. Welcome back into the chicken world!

Thank you TexasLisa. It was very hard. My husbands mother had passed away and I had to quickly find someone to check on my chickens while we were out of town. The only person I could find was a teenager that lived close by. He did not latch the run door correctly when he left one day, and something got in. I have no idea what it was, but I suspect raccoon. When we got back I found dead bodies in the yard and in the coop. The worst part is many of the bodies had not even a mark on them they were just dead with a few feathers gone. I know my run is 100% predator proof as long as the door is latched correctly, so I am not worried about adding a new flock.

I decided to wait until the end of summer to raise chicks because I thought the weather this time of year would be nice. I figure I will have eggs before next spring

I have a couple of questions for those that have used the MHP. Will the 12" x 15" pad be large enough and should I limit the amount of space the chicks have in the coop for the first couple of weeks? My coop is 8' x 6' and for the last group I started them in a huge watermelon box to make it easier for me catch them to check their butts until I was sure they were okay. Part of me wants to go ahead and give them the whole coop just because I like the idea of them having the space. My hubby removed the nest boxes and the roosting perches because we are planning a new design, so the space will be empty until the chicks get a bit older and are ready to roost on perches. Anyone have any advice?

 

[aart]

I have a couple of questions for those that have used the MHP. Will the 12" x 15" pad be large enough and should I limit the amount of space the chicks have in the coop for the first couple of weeks? My coop is 8' x 6' and for the last group I started them in a huge watermelon box to make it easier for me catch them to check their butts until I was sure they were okay. Part of me wants to go ahead and give them the whole coop just because I like the idea of them having the space. My hubby removed the nest boxes and the roosting perches because we are planning a new design, so the space will be empty until the chicks get a bit older and are ready to roost on perches. Anyone have any advice?

You might want to restrict their area for the first week, like you said to check butts and such, make sure they don't get 'lost'......
......but after that giving them the whole space should be fine, they'll know where the warm is.

12x15 should be ok for 8 chicks...what is your climate/location?

 

[Victoria-nola]

Quote:

I have a couple of questions for those that have used the MHP. Will the 12" x 15" pad be large enough and should I limit the amount of space the chicks have in the coop for the first couple of weeks? My coop is 8' x 6' and for the last group I started them in a huge watermelon box to make it easier for me catch them to check their butts until I was sure they were okay. Part of me wants to go ahead and give them the whole coop just because I like the idea of them having the space. My hubby removed the nest boxes and the roosting perches because we are planning a new design, so the space will be empty until the chicks get a bit older and are ready to roost on perches. Anyone have any advice?

You might want to restrict their area for the first week, like you said to check butts and such, make sure they don't get 'lost'......
......but after that giving them the whole space should be fine, they'll know where the warm is.

12x15 should be ok for 8 chicks...what is your climate/location?

Yes, I agree. And just to say, I've used the MHP method twice this last spring and VERY pleased with results.

 

[Jessie22]

What size crate should I use for 6 to 8? Is a medium crate or small crate better? I think a medium might be good so it doesn't get messy real fast. They will be guineas

 

[Victoria-nola]

What size crate should I use for 6 to 8? Is a medium crate or small crate better? I think a medium might be good so it doesn't get messy real fast. They will be guineas

One of my two MHP broods was with guineas. They don't have to be in a crate-- but if you do get a crate then medium, NOT small. They need room to run around and get strong. They could also be in a large cardboard box, like a refrigerator box.

Be aware that guineas are so tiny when hatched that they can squeeze through 1" chicken wire. They need 1/2" hardware cloth to be truly contained. We started our 25 guineas in an X-Large wire dog crate with the MHP in one end and the food and water started near MHP and then moved back to farther end. We put 1/2" hardware cloth all around the outside of the crate to ensure their safety. Guineas grow really quickly so they quickly become too big to get through normal crate bars, so a band around the bottom of the crate is probably enough since they'll be inside another coop for safety.

Hope this helps.

 

[jeapa]

You might want to restrict their area for the first week, like you said to check butts and such, make sure they don't get 'lost'......
......but after that giving them the whole space should be fine, they'll know where the warm is.

12x15 should be ok for 8 chicks...what is your climate/location?

Thank you aart for the advice. I am in Delaware which has been unseasonably warm lately. My thoughts are that the chicks should be fully feathered before we get close to freezing, but the weather is always changing. I think I will divide the coop with some cardboard panel for the first week or 10 days and then open it up if everyone is doing fine. That seems to make the most sense.

 

[Victoria-nola]

Quote:
Sounds great! Just make sure the corners are very secure so they can't squeeze through.

--V

 

[Jessie22]

Thanks for the info. Another question. My guinea hen is laying eggs in her nest but only sits on them until she lays another egg normally about 2 hours, 1 egg a day. If she is not sitting on them to hatch, how long will the eggs be good to put in the incubator? She has 17 eggs in her nest. They only get warm because she is laying another egg. She has not become broodie yet? Maybe she is not finished with laying egg!

 

[jeapa]

Sounds great! Just make sure the corners are very secure so they can't squeeze through.

--V

Thanks V. I was out working on it today and I think I came up with something that should work for at least a week or two until they start trying out their wings. Ill post some photos later today.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Thanks for the info.  Another question.  My guinea hen is laying eggs in her nest but only sits on them until she lays another egg normally about 2 hours, 1 egg a day.  If she is not sitting on them to hatch, how long will the eggs be good to put in the incubator?  She has 17 eggs in her nest.  They only get warm because she is laying another egg.  She has not become broodie yet?  Maybe she is not finished with laying egg!

They don't sit in them to incubate until they have a full clutch and become broody. That way all the babies hatch at the same time. With 17 eggs she's probably not broody and some of those will go bad.