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

[Lavender11]

Oops with my humidity issues I forgot to check back in. I gave up trying to saw my bits of wood in half and ducked up to the hardware shop for some door stops so now my heating pad is slanted. A bit unorthodox I know. Bought some padlocks to stop the munchkins from letting the chicks escape and put some mesh up around it. I also had to move the whole thing further under the pergola away from the rain. What a day! Plus trying to sort out the humidity and then we had a black out and we rarely have black outs. The poor kids were left to their own devices. And now one of the chicks has pipped, early.

 

[trudyg]

Good job for creativity! Keep us posted.

 

[Blooie]

Oops with my humidity issues I forgot to check back in. I gave up trying to saw my bits of wood in half and ducked up to the hardware shop for some door stops so now my heating pad is slanted. A bit unorthodox I know. Bought some padlocks to stop the munchkins from letting the chicks escape and put some mesh up around it. I also had to move the whole thing further under the pergola away from the rain. What a day! Plus trying to sort out the humidity and then we had a black out and we rarely have black outs. The poor kids were left to their own devices. And now one of the chicks has pipped, early.

This thread thrives on "unorthodox"! I think the door stops are a brilliant idea, as long as the chicks don't knock the entire assembly off!

If it works (and I'm sure it will) then we have another suggestion for folks who are using frames that need to be slanted, so now we have a suggestion for them! Thanks! Keeping my fingers crossed for the pipper!

 

[curious chickee]

We have a rainy chilly day so I went to check on the babies, especially my tinies that just hatched yesterday and weren't completely fluffy at bedtime. Couldn't find half of them, then I noticed some wiggles under the towel I laid on top of MHP. Sure enough there were the rest of the chicks sleeping snugly under the towel, silly chickies. Dropped my kids off at school as the rain started pouring. Got home and heard chirping so checked on chicks and tucked those who finished eating back under MHP and all snuggled down to wait out the storm.

 

[ShrekDawg]

.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Finally made the wire frame, ut was easier than I thought (I was thinking I'd have to unroll the whole roll or something). Not sure if it's too big though (I made it a little wider than the pad due to the pillow cases/towels and a little longer to bury in the shavings, figured it'd be okay) and still working on exactly how to bend it. Thinking more the second option cause the first seems high. Or maybe I'll take the extra end squares off to make it lower. And don't worry, this is the broken heating pad so they still have heat atm, I didn't just take their heat away. Using the broken one for the sizing.

Going to go dump their shavings out and/or bring the bigger pool in to put them in and add the new shavings before putting this in though

 

[A V Davidson]

I'm new to forums, and really new at raising chickens. Hope I am doing this right.

I acquired my two pullets two days ago (Buff Orp and Ameracauna) and they are in their temp home...a large cardboard box. I realize that they need some warmth but I have only solar panels for my power source, so I don't want a 250 watt heating lamp that uses more electricity than my electric blanket. My little electric heating pad consumes a mere 25 watts, so I positioned a smaller box in the large box into which I placed the heating pad with a towel covering it. The smaller box is supported over a couple of 2x4s so that the chicks can rove around and roost under it. When I feel under the box there is warmth that is just a little above my own body temp so I surmise that this should be acceptable. There is no way the chicks can manage to come into direct contact with the heating pad.

Have any of you had experience of this sort, and if my idea isn't a good one or is unsafe will you please inform me and educate me as to a preferable way to keep the chicks warm. Will be adding an Australorp when the feed store has them available.

Thanks

 

[ShrekDawg]

The pillow case hangs down when I put it down... Is this actually a problem or just some dumb non issue? I taped it so they can't get inside the pillow case but it's hanging down inside. They can still reach the heat, right? Or should I get a different pillow case? They got used to it fast though

 

[ShrekDawg]

And the pad is on top of the frame and frame is inside so i guess it's just like... Air? and gravity Causing it to come down

 

[ShrekDawg]

I feel like this is an issue...??