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

[Pats Poultry]

Good Evening All
Let me start by saying thank you for this thread. Due to unforeseen circumstances, my bride and I received 4 chicks last week. I did have them in the house with us until today. After reading a bunch of this thread I decided to give the MHP a try. 3 of the chicks are 2 weeks old and the 4th is 5 weeks old. Strange but true. Got everything set up and out they went. They all ran around in the coop (4X4) for the longest time and then the 3 small ones were trying to get under the older one and she wanted nothing to do with that so I grabbed one small and put her under the pad, then the other two. Back out they came so I left them alone for a while and tried again, Same result. I knew they were cold and almost gave up and brought them back into the house but gave it one more try and low and behold they all stayed under it. YOUUUUU WHOOOOO. I checked on them every half hour and they seem to be doing great. Eating, Drinking and scratching.The high today was 36. The temps here will be dipping into the mid teens tonight so I am hoping that they will do fine. Not to worried about the older one as she is almost totally feathered and sits on top of the pad but the 3 little ones will be on my mind all night. Hoping this will work, wish us luck

 

[azygous]

Good luck! The only thing you need to be concerned about is the power staying on, unless you have a heating pad that will turn back on by itself rather than needing to be reset. I'm down south of Trinidad in your state, and my co-op can't seem to keep the power from glitching out in spite of no wind, no snow, no weather. If you have a similarly undependable power company, you may wish to place something near your bed that will beep when the power goes off.

But the chicks will do just fine.

 

[Pats Poultry]

The power is pretty stable around here(north of Denver), Fingers crossed. I did not know of a device that would wake you for a power outage. What are they called and do you know where I can get one just for my peace of mind. Just went out to check on them and I would of thought that they would be in bed but they were running around and eating. I will check again after supper and take the water out for the night. Thanks for the reply.

 

[bruceha2000]

If you have an uninterruptable power supply for your computer, it will beep if the power goes out. The one we have (and don't use because it) beeps as long as the power is out to tell you to turn off stuff connected to it. Really annoying and can't be turned off which is why we don't use it.

 

[azygous]

As for electronic items that beep just as the power fails or restores, my microwave beeps, my cordless phone beeps, and I have one of those backup power boxes that Bruce mentions that beeps very annoyingly the entire time the power is out.

Everyone probably has at least one such device but they tend to tune it out when it beeps.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Since I've learned MHP (thank you Blooie), I've used it twice and about to raise my (3rd bunch) first Micro Serama chicks.
Breeder called, there's 39 at this time, to be delivered this weekend for me to raise = ChickNanny13. She hatches & I raise for 8wks then they go back to her. She has noticed how much calmer the chicks are DH has noticed it's alot quieter in the house, I like having them in the house for the first 2wks then they go out to the brooder in the patio with their MHP.

Hummm, never thought of power outages Need to come up with a plan. Thanks for bringing that up.

 

[aart]

Since I've learned MHP (thank you Blooie), I've used it twice and about to raise my (3rd bunch) first Micro Serama chicks.
Breeder called, there's 39 at this time, to be delivered this weekend for me to raise = ChickNanny13. She hatches & I raise for 8wks then they go back to her. She has noticed how much calmer the chicks are DH has noticed it's alot quieter in the house, I like having them in the house for the first 2wks then they go out to the brooder in the patio with their MHP.

Hummm, never thought of power outages Need to come up with a plan. Thanks for bringing that up.

8-0 aren't they small enough already?!

 

[ChickNanny13]

8-0 aren't they small enough already?!

Clarification: This is my 1st bunch of Micros, the past have been Orpingtons, Wynadottes, Ameraucanas, EEs, Seramas and Table Tops. I do agree Seramas are small enough!!!!! I've read up about Micros; they're hard to breed & hatch, they're delicate and apparently they have a very short life span (under a year).
I agree with you, what's the purpose of going smaller? No idea

 

[AutumnHens]

Dear MHP Alums,

We have an order of chicks coming in Jan 4-6th. A total of 8 chicks, all standard size, which will be brooded in the garage for the first four weeks or so in a kiddie pool with cardboard up to prevent drafts. It sits where it gets sun from the south and east facing windows so no artificial lighting. With the last batch we used a heat lamp but this go around I want to try the MHP method. Right now we have six pullets in the coop and they'll be seven months old in Jan and the coop is designed to hold 20 birds so crowding shouldn't be an issue. However there is no electricity in the coop and there isn't really a way to run an extension cord into it. So I was thinking they'd be in the unheated garage for the first 4 weeks with the heating pad and then be moved out to the coop as soon as they feather out. We'll convert an old dog crate so that they can be seen and heard while in the coop and the run (200 sq feet) can be split in half so that they can have outdoor time without fear of being bullied. The original six free range most days from noon until sundown, they only spend the morning in the run to encourage laying in the coop and not around our 3 acres.

Does this seem right? Anything else I should consider/anticipate? Thanks in advance for any and all help.

 

[tomphot]

Dear MHP Alums,

We have an order of chicks coming in Jan 4-6th.  A total of 8 chicks, all standard size, which will be brooded in the garage for the first four weeks or so in a kiddie pool with cardboard up to prevent drafts.  It sits where it gets sun from the south and east facing windows so no artificial lighting.  With the last batch we used a heat lamp but this go around I want to try the MHP method.  Right now we have six pullets in the coop and they'll be seven months old in Jan and the coop is designed to hold 20 birds so crowding shouldn't be an issue.  However there is no electricity in the coop and there isn't really a way to run an extension cord into it.  So I was thinking they'd be in the unheated garage for the first 4 weeks with the heating pad and then be moved out to the coop as soon as they feather out.  We'll convert an old dog crate so that they can be seen and heard while in the coop and the run (200 sq feet) can be split in half so that they can have outdoor time without fear of being bullied.  The original six free range most days from noon until sundown, they only spend the morning in the run to encourage laying in the coop and not around our 3 acres. 

Does this seem right?  Anything else I should consider/anticipate?  Thanks in advance for any and all help. 

We used a kiddie pool with a cardboard side for our 8 chicks using the MHP method - worked out great! We used a white plastic egg crate as a cover over the top as they sure seemed like they would be able to get out at even 2 weeks old! We moved them out of the garage Just after that as it was July in ATL and warm enough.