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

[lazy gardener]

good job.

 

[Hholly]

Babies arrived very early this morning! All 27 of them made the trip- and are actively eating, drinking, and poping under the MHP when needed. I can tell they will need a larger one sooner rather than later!

Lol, that looks like my setup when my 25 arrived.(I only ordered 12). I quickly had to figure our other arrangements. Now they are 3 weeks old and In a 6' x 6' pen with the MPH in the garage. Good luck!

 

[ashleymroles]

We've had our baby chicks for about 7 hours now. I was cautious of using a heat lamp for risk of a fire, so I made a MHP using the sunbeam heating pad. The chicks are loving it! I just turned off the light in their room and they're all sleeping in their little cave. I tried to post pics but it didn't work. I'll try again tomorrow. Thank you to everyone on this thread for convincing me that the MHP is the most natural (and arguably safest) way to raise these little sweeties.

 

[Paganrose]

Yeah it's a bit crowed, but they seem to be doing fine. Right now they are all comfortable snuggled under the MHP. Only had one chick (cochin) with pasty butt. I ordered 25, so there are 2 freebies in there. These guys will be staying in this brooder for only a week or so. We have a 3.5x7 foot brooder sectioned off under our poop board in the coop for them. Just finishing up the last touches this weekend. Then I will be adding a second heating pad, larger waterer/feedeer, and some mini roosts.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Mine are one week and one day old. They have all decided en masse not to sleep under it any more, and are sleeping in a big pig pile on the opposite side of the brooder now (even though I turned it down). They just like to climb on it during the day.

 

[Hholly]

Mine are one week and one day old. They have all decided en masse not to sleep under it any more, and are sleeping in a big pig pile on the opposite side of the brooder now (even though I turned it down). They just like to climb on it during the day.

Mine did this for a few nights. I raised the MHP with a different frame and they used it again. Then, I transitioned them to my garage and they use it a lot with temps in the 30s.

 

[aart]

Yeah it's a bit crowed, but they seem to be doing fine. Right now they are all comfortable snuggled under the MHP. Only had one chick (cochin) with pasty butt. I ordered 25, so there are 2 freebies in there. These guys will be staying in this brooder for only a week or so. We have a 3.5x7 foot brooder sectioned off under our poop board in the coop for them. Just finishing up the last touches this weekend. Then I will be adding a second heating pad, larger waterer/feedeer, and some mini roosts.

I'd move them pronto, and have the MHP so they can get out on both sides(or would that be front and back?)

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Mine did this for a few nights. I raised the MHP with a different frame and they used it again. Then, I transitioned them to my garage and they use it a lot with temps in the 30s.

Ah, but this was AFTER I had upgraded them to the raised one. They used it for a night, then stopped. This is exactly what my Naked Necks did this fall with the EcoGlow panel.

Full disclosure - it is in the 80s here, and the low last night outside was 57F (in their mudroom, in the 60s). They're not inside for heat, but because I don't have a cat secure enclosure for them to be outside yet while so tiny.

- Ant Farm

 

[Hholly]

Ah, but this was AFTER I had upgraded them to the raised one. They used it for a night, then stopped. This is exactly what my Naked Necks did this fall with the EcoGlow panel.

Full disclosure - it is in the 80s here, and the low last night outside was 57F (in their mudroom, in the 60s). They're not inside for heat, but because I don't have a cat secure enclosure for them to be outside yet while so tiny.

- Ant Farm

Ah, lol.

Makes sense. I forgot where you were.

 

[COChix]

Ah, but this was AFTER I had upgraded them to the raised one. They used it for a night, then stopped. This is exactly what my Naked Necks did this fall with the EcoGlow panel.

Full disclosure - it is in the 80s here, and the low last night outside was 57F (in their mudroom, in the 60s). They're not inside for heat, but because I don't have a cat secure enclosure for them to be outside yet while so tiny. 

- Ant Farm 

Makes sense that they are not sleeping under it given your temps of 57 - 60's. I had ours inside a giant tub for about 1 week inside. They slept under the cave a lot at first. By day 7 they were outside in April in Colorado. Lows were mid 40's and as low as 31, they were in a small coop set up with the MHP. since they were outside they utilized the cave more into about week 3 for sleeping then they started to sprawl out at the opening And around the front of the cave.