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

[NotAFarm]

Quote: ^^^ What Blooie said! ^^^

I raise Cornish X meaties for my freezer every year. I use a Brinsea Eco Glow 50 because I had it before this thread was started and because I usually have 20 - 35 meaties at a time.
They grow fast and have a higher metabolic rate (they are bred to grow fast so must be able to convert food to tissue quickly) so they get hot quicker than your other breeds. Like Blooie said, you need to accommodate that difference. The MHP is, more than likely, too hot for them. Turn the temp down and raise the roof. The hot bodies of your meaties will help keep the others warm. Listen for distress peeping to know if other adjustment is needed.

 

[Merrymouse]

So, every morning lately I find they've moved the MHP. The whole thing. The diaper cover will be off to one side, the controller pulled from the wire clip on the wall. It's like they have an early morning kegger in there and trash the place?! I peeked in on them in the dark last night and they were tucked in peacefully but when I checked this morning, again with the chaos.

 

[ImportTheBest]

Check your settting....if it's too hot they won't go under at all.  And meaties grow faster than layers, so you may need to raise the frame up more often to accommodate those bigger bodies.  Try those things and let us know.....most of us raise layers so if there's something different that would help folks raising meaties we'd like to be sure they have access to that information.

^^^ What Blooie said! ^^^

I raise Cornish X meaties for my freezer every year. I use a Brinsea Eco Glow 50 because I had it before this thread was started and because I usually have 20 - 35 meaties at a time.
They grow fast and have a higher metabolic rate (they are bred to grow fast so must be able to convert food to tissue quickly) so they get hot quicker than your other breeds. Like Blooie said, you need to accommodate that difference.  The MHP is, more than likely, too hot for them. Turn the temp down and raise the roof. The hot bodies of your meaties will help keep the others warm.  Listen for distress peeping to know if other adjustment is needed.

Ok, I never considered that the two groups would be different body temps as they grew, even though I knew the meaties grew faster and probably wouldn't need the heat for as long. Silly me!

I feel quite bad but I plugged in the defective heating pad one more time before I gave in and threw it away, just to be sure it wasn't able to be donated. And this time it warmed up!! I have no clue why, and it's already been refunded.

But I can use it to set up a higher access / lower temp MHP for the meaties.

I'll definitely let you know what makes them happy so that others will have that info as a starting point for their meaties. Esp if they do small batches like me.

Frame question:
I tried to make a frame out of the 1/3" hardware cloth but it was very floppy and any meaties on top would surely have squashed the layers! I used an old but small cooling rack to create a temporary frame but it's really not the best size for the long pad. If I don't want to purchase a $15 cooling rack to make a hanging MHP what else can I use? Can I bungee the pad to the bottom of a large cookie sheet and then use press and seal on the top over a hand towel to make a stronger "framework" for the heavier birds to be on top safely?

 

[csneill]

Paying my dues... picked up my 4 black copper Marans last night & then we stopped at the feed store. 2 sexlinks found their way into my vehicle too. Oops. They looked lonely being the only 2 chicks left in the store...

this is my third round of chicks under the Mhp & I I'll never go back to the old way. The chicks were so quiet last night it was just amazing. I do think they appreciate the darkness & to have a chance to rest without the light of a heat lamp.

 

[Merrymouse]

Here are my chicks. Came home with them 2 hours ago and I've been just watching them since then. Seems like it was only 1/2 hour and it was two hours.

I can see I will be getting a lot done this weekend

Here's my MHP

They've been eating a ton and there is already poop. But just going to leave it alone now and let them settle. They really weren't using the nipple waterer and they were eating so much I put the regular waterer in just for now. Haven't seen my Swedish flower really drink yet. Should I worry. They've been home for two hours. I did touch her beak twice to the nipple watered but I don't think she got anything. Should I dip her beak in the regular waterer?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Here are my chicks. Came home with them 2 hours ago and I've been just watching them since then. Seems like it was only 1/2 hour and it was two hours.

I can see I will be getting a lot done this weekend

Here's my MHP




They've been eating a ton and there is already poop. But just going to leave it alone now and let them settle. They really weren't using the nipple waterer and they were eating so much I put the regular waterer in just for now. Haven't seen my Swedish flower really drink yet. Should I worry. They've been home for two hours. I did touch her beak twice to the nipple watered but I don't think she got anything. Should I dip her beak in the regular waterer?

Awww, babies!!!!
I would show your SFH the regular waterer, yes....just to be safe.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I have to say, I do see what these little buggars like about the MHP -- I'm sitting on the couch mothered up to my MHP right now ---- ordered it over a month ago for the chicks, but since it got here so far in advance of them we humans have been making good use of it.......gonna be a shame to have to give it up to those little fuzz balls (hopefully next weekend

)

 

[tifanicole]

I want to switch my heat from a lamp to MHP, can someone point me to the best post (s) I know some of these long threads have updated information toward the middle/end. I'd appreciate the guidance.

 

[junebuggena]

I want to switch my heat from a lamp to MHP, can someone point me to the best post (s) I know some of these long threads have updated information toward the middle/end. I'd appreciate the guidance.

Keep it simple. Too many try to overcomplicate this, get frustrated, and give up. All you need is a heating pad that does not automatically shut off, an adjustable frame, and something to protect the pad from poo. Remember, the chicks must be able to touch the pad to get warm. It's a contact method, not an ambient air temp method.

 

[Molpet]

I want to switch my heat from a lamp to MHP, can someone point me to the best post (s) I know some of these long threads have updated information toward the middle/end. I'd appreciate the guidance.

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