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

[Blooie]

I havent been Blooied in a while.....

That's a fact, Deb! I'll see if I can get on that......

 

[The Golden Egg5]

We recently moved from Texas back to Ky, and it really ticked DH off that, where we were in Texas previously got more snow this winter than our new home. 

If you don't mind me asking, where were you in Texas? We just moved here to NC from Houston! It is certainly a big change.

 

[bajabirdbrain]

33 more days till chick arrival! Had to take a day off of coop/run building after having a 4' ladder go out from under me. Pretty good blood loss but everything else seems ok. On the coast for razor clamming this weekend, a nice change of pace. Got the electrical conduit and wire buried. Will order metal roofing on Monday. Have 3 of 8 panels installed, 4 others built. Doing the final wood work construction to the coop as weather permits. BB has me under the gun-As the saying here goes= Must. Finish. Coop!

 

[perchie.girl]

33 more days till chick arrival! Had to take a day off of coop/run building after having a 4' ladder go out from under me. Pretty good blood loss but everything else seems ok. On the coast for razor clamming this weekend, a nice change of pace. Got the electrical conduit and wire buried. Will order metal roofing on Monday. Have 3 of 8 panels installed, 4 others built. Doing the final wood work construction to the coop as weather permits. BB has me under the gun-As the saying here goes= Must. Finish. Coop!

 

[HennyB]

Hi everyone!

I'm new around here and researching furiously because I'd like to have some backyard chickens. I've been reading up on the MHP method which I think I like a lot better than the traditional heating lamp. However, a few questions:

I plan on getting my chicks from my local seed and feed, so they're already a few days or a week old and have been in little boxes with lamps. Can you switch them from that to a MHP and will they know how to use it?

Also, how do you know what number to set your heating pad on? I don't want to roast the chicks!

Thanks in advance for your replies,

~Danielle

 

[casportpony]

33 more days till chick arrival! Had to take a day off of coop/run building after having a 4' ladder go out from under me. Pretty good blood loss but everything else seems ok. On the coast for razor clamming this weekend, a nice change of pace. Got the electrical conduit and wire buried. Will order metal roofing on Monday. Have 3 of 8 panels installed, 4 others built. Doing the final wood work construction to the coop as weather permits. BB has me under the gun-As the saying here goes= Must. Finish. Coop!

Very nice!

 

[casportpony]

Hi everyone!

I'm new around here and researching furiously because I'd like to have some backyard chickens.  I've been reading up on the MHP method which I think I like a lot better than the traditional heating lamp.  However, a few questions:

I plan on getting my chicks from my local seed and feed, so they're already a few days or a week old and have been in little boxes with lamps.  Can you switch them from that to a MHP and will they know how to use it?  

Also, how do you know what number to set your heating pad on?  I don't want to roast the chicks!  

Thanks in advance for your replies,

~Danielle :yiipchick

Welcome to BYC! I haven't made an MHP yet, so can't comment it it, but I have moved chicks from lamps the heating plates and all I had to do was stick them under it when it put them in the brooder.

 

[cholland]

Hi everyone!

I'm new around here and researching furiously because I'd like to have some backyard chickens.  I've been reading up on the MHP method which I think I like a lot better than the traditional heating lamp.  However, a few questions:

I plan on getting my chicks from my local seed and feed, so they're already a few days or a week old and have been in little boxes with lamps.  Can you switch them from that to a MHP and will they know how to use it?  

Also, how do you know what number to set your heating pad on?  I don't want to roast the chicks!  

Thanks in advance for your replies,

~Danielle :yiipchick

They figure it out pretty quick. Just watch them for the first day or two especially when the lights go out. They don't see in the dark, so if they are out in the brooder and you flip the lights off, make sure they find their way under the MHP. My chicks bunched up in the corner the first couple of times until they learned.

The heating pads at max temp should be around 100-110. I leave mine on high. The chicks move around and get comfortable. I cover mine with a towel and it reads about 80 degrees on the top. They love to stand up there, especially when the sun comes through the window.
Adjust the height of the heating pad so their back touch when standing, but not so far they are stretching to reach. When they get cozy, they settle down and find a comfortable spot.

 

[debid]

I figured that high is the most similar to a hen's body temp (I read that hens are 105-107F) and the whole idea is to replicate her as much as possible. So, I assumed it would stay on high until they quit sleeping on it and chose the roost instead.

 

[Blooie]

I never worry about the thermometer readings. The first time I was asked about it I put a wireless in there out of curiosity, and it read 82.5 degrees in a 69 degree room. Hmm, the chicks that had already been in there should have been dead but there they were at several days old having a blast. One of the hardest things to get out of with MHP is that 95 degrees the first week, down by 5 degrees each week after. It doesn't apply. The chicks are getting the warmth directly on them right at their backs and do a great job of self-regulating their comfort.

The only time I use the heating pad on high is for the first couple of days, but remember that I brood chicks directly outdoors and here our springtime chick season temperatures are still dipping into the teens and twenties. When I brood in the house 4 or 5 is plenty for the first few days. The chicks will let you know what they need -too hot and they will hang right at the front or won't go under at all. Too cold and they'll huddle in a knot together and get as far back under as they can.