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

[dpenning]

I eat them.....or sell them. I have about 30 in spring and summer, only over winter about 15.

Feed Mill has a batch of chicks in, was not tempted..... as I have 22 eggs in bator and 6 EE on order via Mill in 3 weeks.

I'm going to try that with a batch of meaties, we will see how it goes.

What you will find is that they lay really well their first winter (assuming they weren't hatched so early in the year that they moult their first fall) and winter laying after that is spotty.

• My twelve 2012 girls laid 565 eggs their first winter (Nov through Feb). The first year (since first lay Nov 2012) was 1,970.
• 440 the next winter (half the birds laid no eggs until mid to late February), 1,340 for the year though I lost 2 girls (1 unknown in March, 1 to a fox late April but neither of them laid through the winter)
• 117 the next winter (most of them from 4 girls), 890 for the year (lost another one to a fox last April so only 9 layers half the period).
• This winter? 35 from nine 3.5 Y/O hens.

In contrast the 7 June 2015 girls came into production over time, starting mid Nov and laid 467 eggs through the end of February.

So while you might think you have too many layers their first winter, it gets real thin real fast after they have their first adult moult.

Those that do periodic subtraction cull the older or less productive birds and get new chicks in the spring if they want a fairly consistent amount of eggs through the winter every year.

That is some serious tracking going on there! I'll have to see how it goes, this winter they kept me in eggs! Our winters are pretty mild but unfortunately I've never had hens more than one winter as I got wiped out last year by a coyote attack. It will be interesting to see how they do next year. Thanks for the information.

 

[beautifulpirate]

Thank you so much for posting this! I really didn't want to deal with heat lamps as I was so scared about the fire aspect. We set this up last night before going to get our chicks this morning. They wouldn't go anywhere near it at first but I tucked each one gently under it and they are now napping snugly and happily. We did a clear tub so our young children could view them easily without touching. So we cut a hole the same size as he cord to feed it through so there is no exposure to the cord at all. We spent next to nothing other than for the heating pad because this was all stuff we already had around. Lovely idea!

 

[karelee]

I used an old tomato cage for my frame, they really seem to like it, gives them a lot of contact with the pad.

 

[MesMama]

@bruceha2000 What are the measurements of your brooder? We'll have 22 chicks and thinking 3'x6' ?? Wondering if that will be adequate space? Anyone else care to chime in feel free ;D

 

[ShrekDawg]

Went to TSC today finally and saw the chicks and there were a LOT of reds (well only one bin actually labeled "rhode island red", one labeled bantams but empty and one jersey giant bin, the rest were labeled "pullets" supposedly assorted breeds but looked entirely reds to me) and anyway, all in large metal feed troughs, ALL heat lamp clamped to side. Babies crammed like sardines in there. Felt sorry for them. But of course MHP is too expensive and takes up too much room to be efficient for those babies, got 6 feed troughs in a gated area. Felt so bad though.

 

[bruceha2000]

Blooie, give that man a hug for me please!
I have my first styro home made. It's been doing well for 3 seasons. So the cooler will be bigger and better. (and allow a staggered hatch.) It will hold about 50 eggs, and have a STC1000 thermo. Has your thermo burned out, or just a loose connection? What kind? I did find with my first bator that the thermo went a bit wonky (bimetal) when I kicked the humidity up for lock down. I'm not overly concerned about the "counting" part. Just gotta feed the addiction, and get fodder for my gender experimentation.

Well see, you HAVE to hatch because you are doing experiments to benefit the chicken owning community. If your gender results based on egg shape proportions continue to come out like they did the last time, you'll have something of great value to contribute. Can't do that without lots of trials.

@bruceha2000 What are the measurements of your brooder? We'll have 22 chicks and thinking 3'x6' ?? Wondering if that will be adequate space? Anyone else care to chime in feel free ;D

Mine was about 2' x 6' in the corner of the 10' x 12' coop. Given I had only 7 chicks, it was far bigger than necessary but I had no idea how long Zorra would keep them in there at night (2 weeks), how long she would mother them (2 months) or if they were going to need to use it as they got bigger (nope).

Your 18 sq ft should be fine. The chicks will be ready for the full coop and no MHP by the time they are 4 weeks old, if not sooner. Hopefully they will be integrated with the rest of the flock by then.

 

[aart]

Quote: Oh, I eat all the extra cockerels and older layers that aren't bartered or sold......never raised meaties here, did butcher one that I got in a trade tho

 

[bruceha2000]

Went to TSC today finally and saw the chicks and there were a LOT of reds (well only one bin actually labeled "rhode island red", one labeled bantams but empty and one jersey giant bin, the rest were labeled "pullets" supposedly assorted breeds but looked entirely reds to me) and anyway, all in large metal feed troughs, ALL heat lamp clamped to side. Babies crammed like sardines in there. Felt sorry for them. But of course MHP is too expensive and takes up too much room to be efficient for those babies, got 6 feed troughs in a gated area. Felt so bad though.

I don't think the MHPB would be all that expensive for them since they could use them season after season. They can get many more in one MHP 'cave' since they are only there for a day or three plus they use much less electricity. I think they just don't know about the method.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I don't think the MHPB would be all that expensive for them since they could use them season after season. They can get many more in one MHP 'cave' since they are only there for a day or three plus they use much less electricity. I think they just don't know about the method.

That is very true. I wish they would try it. Somebody should make up a flier or something with the most important info with the link to this thread and email corporate or hand them out at the store. The worst part though is that people buying them buy heat lamps too andthe worst feeds :/ although I actually think it may SAVE them money or make them more because I just realized... they probably have a lot of chicks die with the heat lamps right? Well if they switch over and less die then more to sell and more profits for them.

 

[aart]

Quote: It would be a PITA to sell, or buy, out of tub with an MHP in it....some places, lamps are fine.