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

[Blooie]

I have a Cornish Cross that got gang picked by the Leghorns after they started laying. It has been 2 weeks. The wounds are healed, and she has her own mhp because the temps are frost at night. She has started to feather out again. Will try to attach some of her new pics.

She is in a 4 x8 foot brooder, with a hardware cloth frame for the mhp.

I am so sorry about Ginger. Do you think you'll be able to integrate her back into the flock? Have you increased her protein intake a bit to encourage regrowth or is there a lot of skin damage that I'm not seeing as well?

Oh my! Condolences to you and Ginger. Is she the only CX? Sounds like she may need to be protected for a long time, if not forever.

Nice idea using the MHP as a "hospital bed" for an "under feathered" bird.

I like the idea too, Bruce. Just make sense - when they are injured they need quiet and calm which they don't get with light glaring on them 24/7. It's a gentler heat and not nearly as over-stimulating which is so good for healing.

Harriet

Louise



My little girls have graduated from MHP. They are integrated with my 2 older girls and we have a happy little flock. It was such a success, never going back to other method, and will encourage others to give it a try.

Congratulations on a job well done! It takes a huge leap of faith to veer off the well trodden trail, and it looks like your girls reaped the rewards. And I'll bet your stress levels this time were greatly reduced, too, right?

 

[kzas]

I've read a lot of this thread and have heard lots of people raving about this method on many threads. That, combined with my fear of fire in my coop, has lead me to scrap my plan of using of a heat lamp and instead I made a mama heating pad today. I'm wondering if someone who has used this method would take a look and give me feedback. I am planning for 6 chicks. It seems small to me, but I'm also new to chickens, so what do I know! Also, when I was checking it today, I noticed that the framing seemed pretty hot- is that ok? Thanks in advance!

 

[Beekissed]

If you could place the heating pad on the underside of the wire, you would eliminate the hot wire issue. I'd also lose the towel beneath the "mama" due to the poop that will be deposited there. Better to place wood shavings there to "lose" the poops into, rather than the cloth that will hold onto every deposit and the young ones will have to bed down on repeated poops stuck to the towel. With the wood shavings you can clean under the brooder in about 2 seconds, whereas the towel will present more of a problem.

I'd also keep that back end open a little to allow for good air flow and escape if the chicks are crowding up too much in the back. A hen doesn't have a back end that closes and chicks can come and go from all sides, but since that isn't possible with this brooder model, we can at least create more access by opening up both ends of the "mama".

 

[trudyg]

You can always raise it on some bricks if it's too low. If they get cold, they just pile up so being close and snuggly isn't bad. My almost-5 -week olds just lay on top of it now when they get chilly, so I removed the frame and just have the pad flat on the floor.

 

[Blooie]

If you could place the heating pad on the underside of the wire, you would eliminate the hot wire issue. I'd also lose the towel beneath the "mama" due to the poop that will be deposited there. Better to place wood shavings there to "lose" the poops into, rather than the cloth that will hold onto every deposit and the young ones will have to bed down on repeated poops stuck to the towel. With the wood shavings you can clean under the brooder in about 2 seconds, whereas the towel will present more of a problem.

I'd also keep that back end open a little to allow for good air flow and escape if the chicks are crowding up too much in the back. A hen doesn't have a back end that closes and chicks can come and go from all sides, but since that isn't possible with this brooder model, we can at least create more access by opening up both ends of the "mama".

You can always raise it on some bricks if it's too low. If they get cold, they just pile up so being close and snuggly isn't bad. My almost-5 -week olds just lay on top of it now when they get chilly, so I removed the frame and just have the pad flat on the floor.

You both beat me to it! Thanks! Yep, what they said, @kzas ! Well, except for pad on the floor part. I've never had to do that because by the time mine reach that age they are totally done with heat of any kind.

 

[gjamesi]

Oops, think I'll bend the ends the other way.
Thanks.

 

[trudyg]

Blooie, my 2 polish always look cold so that's why I put the pad on the floor. Some of the others, the more cuddly ones, tend to get on there with them but the others are up on the roosts. They are not quite 5 weeks old, so by this time next week any extra heat will be gone.

 

[kzas]

Thanks, all!

I should have mentioned the towel underneath was because I had a thermometer in there to get an idea of the temp and thought it would be more accurate than if it was just on the concrete floor. They'll have shavings in the brooder! I added some curve to the back for air flow and so they can get out that end as well.

Thanks for all the tips! I got confirmation today that my chickies are on their way- so excited!! I'll post pics when they come!

 

[bruceha2000]

Oops, think I'll bend the ends the other way.
Thanks.

Sounds like a good plan

Thanks, all!

I should have mentioned the towel underneath was because I had a thermometer in there to get an idea of the temp and thought it would be more accurate than if it was just on the concrete floor. They'll have shavings in the brooder! I added some curve to the back for air flow and so they can get out that end as well.

Thanks for all the tips! I got confirmation today that my chickies are on their way- so excited!! I'll post pics when they come!

So you will be up very early tomorrow morning when the P.O. calls! Good thing you plan to post pictures since that is the ONE requirement Blooie has for people who join "the brigade"

 

[gjamesi]

Woke up to chirping, within 4 hours two more,11 hours after the first just 3 more pips. I raised the moisture in the place by hanging some wet sheets inside and put a kettle on. once all the windows were steamy I popped the lid and moved the kids over. Humidity actually went up when I opened up.
They've been in and out to the edge a few times.


The first one out.


Second one out and an egg kicker.


One of the two surviving bantams.


I put down paper as suggested.

Put a can in the middle to hold the roof up.

Everyone found their own spots.

I will add as they come out.