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

[lazy gardener]

Product search states that they only warm 10 - 20* > ambient temp.

 

[aart]

I bought a seed mat heater and tried it.....it didn't feel warm enough on the surface so never used it for chicks.

 

[perchie.girl]

I bought a seed mat heater and tried it.....it didn't feel warm enough on the surface so never used it for chicks.

was afraid of that.

The controllers I have seen have a thermostat and you can set the temperature. But then again relative to ambient would not be suitable for colder climates.

For me how ever It might just be the ticket. I will be brooding when the ambient temperatures will be well into the nineties during the day. and seventies at night.

Actually I probably dont even need electric brooding at all just a cozy box where they can keep themselves warm at night.

But the heat mats would be a safeguard.

deb

 

[micheleomal]

I am so glad I found this forum. Last year was my first year of hatching and brooding chicks and of course all the info I could find was for heat lamps. I swore I would never "do" chicks again with the mess, dust, noise in the house. Then I started seeing chicks on all my chicken sites and the urge was uncontrollable. I will have staggered hatches over the next 3 weeks. I have set up a small MHP in last years brooder for 1-2 day old chicks and have the larger heating pad (actually 2) coming in the mail for use out in the coop grow-out pen MHP. What I am using in the wire top to a guinea pig cage that I had. Its probably 3 ft long and 8-10 inches tall. I will have the heating pads on top, draped over sides with covered fleece blanket over the whole thing. I took off the front of the "cage" so it only has the top and 3 sides. My question is...instead of trying to squish the whole thing down so it's low to the chicks' back, I put strawbale flakes in there to build it up from the bottom so there is only about 3-4 inches from straw to top. The I can remove straw as they get taller. ( I guess that wasn't really a question). OK, will that work? I need something large since I'm hoping to end up with 30+ chicks by the end of the hatches and this flat, platform metal cage seemed perfect except for the height. Again, I am so excited to try this method and have those babies out with the big girls in just a few days. No heat lamps in the house.

 

[Blooie]

When I brooded chicks in the house, I found it easier to bend the frame down to bring the heat down to their back level. But when I brooded outside, I did the same thing you are planning to do with the straw flakes and raised the ground closer to the pad. Worked very well for me.

 

[micheleomal]

Thanks Blooie. I have been reading all your posts (and everyone elses of course) over the last 3 days and still only got about 100 pages into the thread. So much info and great pics. I will post pics of my chicks, when they hatch, and set up as well. Love, Love, Love this idea.

 

[Blooie]

Well, welcome to the Broody Brigade! That goes for those I've missed greeting as well. Things are still kinda funny around here - had the trip to Riverton but find I still tire much more easily than I did before the heart thing, so lots of times I am lying down reading but not posting. Easy to count on the more experienced members of the Brigade sometimes, and I'm grateful for them!

 

[10AcreChick]

So I need a confidence boost. I put my 22 1 week old chicks outside this evening. The coop brooder is predator proof, and MHP is back on setting 6, and slanted a little (3 to 5 inches) to give them options of heighth (while inside, they were getting to the point of sleeping with their heads sticking out).

IM NOT GOING TO SLEEP MUCH TONIGHT, am I missing anything? It's only going to get down to the 50s at night this week, so I can't imagine they won't be fine.

Please, tell me to stop worrying!

 

[duluthralphie]

So I need a confidence boost. I put my 22 1 week old chicks outside this evening. The coop brooder is predator proof, and MHP is back on setting 6, and slanted a little (3 to 5 inches) to give them options of heighth (while inside, they were getting to the point of sleeping with their heads sticking out).

IM NOT GOING TO SLEEP MUCH TONIGHT, am I missing anything? It's only going to get down to the 50s at night this week, so I can't imagine they won't be fine.

Please, tell me to stop worrying!

STOP WORRYING!

 

[Blooie]

Okay, stop worrying! Mine did great at a week old and temps were in the twenties. Betcha when you go out tomorrow morning they'll be running all over the place, eating, drinking, and not caring one whit that you worried all night!