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

[thegreatwhite]

@Blooie Here are the photos of my set-up you requested.

As I previously described, I used 2x6 a foot long cut from 6 inches at the front to 4 inches at the rear
with a 2x4 sixteen inches wide across the back. Today, I added a piece of 2x2 under the sides to raise it,
shown in the second photo, as they were getting too big. I placed the cookie sheet on top and then added
the heating pad on that, and wrapped a towel in a single layer under the cookie sheet then folding the excess
on top. My thinking was the cookie sheet would help eliminate any hot spots and help distribute the heat evenly.
I added a paver for them to file their beaks on and they really seem to like it. They were scraping
their beaks on everything in the brooder so I thought maybe they needed to hone their beaks and picked
that up at Home Depot for 50 cents and that's all they use now.

 

[DreamStone]

@Blooie
 
I added a paver for them to file their beaks on and they really seem to like it.  They were scraping
their beaks on everything in the brooder so I thought maybe they needed to hone their beaks and picked
that up at Home Depot for 50 cents and that's all they use now.

Is THAT what all my chickies are doing?! They love to swipe their beaks side to side on the floor, on the top of their pad, on their roosts... I have been thinking it was them digging or trying to sweep bedding away while looking for food.

 

[thegreatwhite]

Is THAT what all my chickies are doing?! They love to swipe their beaks side to side on the floor, on the top of their pad, on their roosts... I have been thinking it was them digging or trying to sweep bedding away while looking for food.

That's what i thought at first, too. Not 100% that's the case, but the paver seemed to please them and curtailed the beak swiping on everything else.

 

[aart]

Quote: They swipe their beaks for several reasons.

 

[Cearbhael]

aart, could you list some of those reasons?

 

[Blooie]

@thegreatwhite That looks great! The only question I would have is if the wood on the sides ever warms up? The reason I went with the open wire frame is that the heating pad drapes down over the sides and back, providing heat all the way around the chicks. Of course, come to think of it that's probably not as important for chicks inside. (Duh, Diane! I'm a nice lady but not always the brightest crayon in the box.

) Mine need that heat surrounding them totally because they are outside in pretty low temperatures.

I kept the other tote/brooder up in the living room for a bit yet. I've got two of the new, tiny chicks that have had pasty butt a couple of times, so I bring them in to clean them up, put a little oil on their hineys, then let them dry off before they go back out. I noticed it again today when I did their video. This is one of those times when it's nice to have that second heating pad. It's really odd - I had 15 Littles in the outdoor brooder with no PB. Then I get these 8 and by the end of their second day these two had problems with it. Just these two, out of what, 23 chicks? Well, as long as I check them daily and keep up with it it's not such a big problem - just irritating.

I never though about putting a paver in with them. I've always seen chicks and my big girls wiping their beaks, but I assumed it was just a chicken thing. I see wild birds do it a lot too. even my hummingbirds do it, and that's a lotta beak to wipe! Guess I never wondered about it, so now I'm as interested in the "whys" as the others. I'm sure, as aart said, there are lots of reasons for it.

Need to get my video uploaded so I can share how the new babies are doing.....

 

[thegreatwhite]

When I broke it down earlier, the wood around the sides was pretty warm. I was surprised how warm that heating pad gets, and I only have it on 4 for about the last 4-5 days because they were all camping on top or in the opening when I had it on 6. Per your advice, I haven't bothered with the thermometer, just rely on the chicks to let me know what they need. I do have to say thanks, as a first time chick owner, you have given some great advice and I feel it has helped make this much easier on me, so thank you!

 

[Blooie]

When I broke it down earlier, the wood around the sides was pretty warm.  I was surprised how warm that heating pad gets, and I only have it on 4 for about the last 4-5 days because they were all camping on top or in the opening when I had it on 6.  Per your advice, I haven't bothered with the thermometer, just rely on the chicks to let me know what they need.  I do have to say thanks, as a first time chick owner, you have given some great advice and I feel it has helped make this much easier on me, so thank you!

That is exactly the best way to determine whether or not the heating pad is doing what we want it to do - just watching those chicks tells us everything we need to know! They don't spend all of their time under a broody, either, and if they get too warm they'll pop out, too cool and they are scooting back under her.

I appreciate your kind words, but the real credit goes to those folks who were doing this before I even got my first chicks - Patrice Lopatin, Beekissed, aart, and I'm sure there others I don't even know about! For their groundbreaking efforts, I, too, am grateful!

 

[Blooie]

Went out and took the Tinys' one week video. Don't know if I'll do anymore - it's pretty much the same as it was for the others. But doggone it, these little Buff Brahmas are so cute!!

 

[MissouriCowgirl]

I just started using this idea. I couldn't get a heat Lamp and until I can get outside coop done they are in my old rabbit cage inside. Don't have the space I would love for this idea but it's working and they seem much happier. I had to just lay mine on the bottom of cage wrapped in a towel but they seem to love it will take pics and post from computer. Can't get the BYC app to let me upload