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

[bruceha2000]

So I have one MHP for my layer chicks in a sectioned of piece of my corner. Now I am hatching a ton of chicks, about 20 bantam brahmas a week. They spend week 1 in 65 gallon reptile tank allows me to keep close watch on them, week 2 in large rubber maid tote, week 3 & 4 grow out pen in coop with pop door to main pen. The grow out pen has my heating pad attached under a shelf that holds the totes. Question for weeks 1 and 2 do I need a cave or can I just lay the heating pad on the bottom of the tote takes up about 1/2 the tote and set on 4 and cover with a press and seal for easy wiping and a towel. I live in CA so not very cold. Also chicks week 1 and 2 will be in the garage by the incubator.

The chicks need heat from above, as they would get from a hen. Hens do not heat the bottom of the chicks

 

[curious chickee]

Ok, whining over here are 2 out of 4 MHP

 

[duluthralphie]

Are you sure you dont mean rats??? Never ever heard of a mouse getting that big but have heard rats... Those sound like killer mice or rats! Dang!

They are not rats, we have no rats here, the mice scared them away.

I field dressed a mouse just last week, after I caught him trying to take a rooster. He dressed out at 112 pounds! we should get a good years worth of mouse steaks and roasts from him.



Scouts honor, really its true...

 

[ShrekDawg]

They are not rats, we have no rats here, the mice scared them away.

I field dressed a mouse just last week, after I caught him trying to take a rooster.  He dressed out at 112 pounds!   we should get a good years worth of mouse steaks and roasts from him.



Scouts honor, really its true...

A 112 pound mouse!?!?!?! Are they like mutated or something???

 

[duluthralphie]

I have another batch of chicks that will be leaving the house as soon as I figure out where to put them. I came out this morning and they were all sitting in the middle of their cage huddled together not one was under the MHP last night.

I have it turned down to 3. I like that I can tell when they no longer need heat by their actions. I so over used the heat lamps in the past!

 

[Blooie]

I've heard of those....mouseasauruses.

@CuriousChicken Um. you are going to busy busy! I didn't see your post earlier or I would have responded...been kinda in over my head today. That's a lot of heating pads. Think I'll call my stockbroker, Uncle Vinnie, and have him buy me some Sunbeam stock. One thing I'd change - have the lettered side of the heating pad facing down. It's warmer than the fuzzy side.

Edited...oops, never mind..you do have it that way. Old eyes.

 

[WyoJax]

This is AMAZING! Blooie, I think what made me such a believer is the fact that you had those babies out in our Wyoming weather in early March. I haven't even started my spring veggies in March! We will be working on three chicks in the next few weeks and this will be much more acceptable than a heating lamp and the three year old.
Does anyone know if Walmart still carries the heating pad that was originally talked about with the bypass for the auto shut off?
I am so stinking excited!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Also i googled 112 pound mouse and found this

So maybe it could be true? Though it seems like theyd be cat size, like a couple pounds, not 112 omg!!!!

http://www.criver.com/products-services/basic-research/find-a-model/the-pound-mouse

Maybe they escaped from a facility or theres radiation? Are they even safe to eat? Id be scared to live there lol wow

 

[ShrekDawg]

I've heard of those....mouseasauruses.

@CuriousChicken
 Um. you are going to busy busy!  I didn't see your post earlier or I would have responded...been kinda in over my head today.  That's a lot of heating pads.  Think I'll call my stockbroker, Uncle Vinnie, and have him buy me some Sunbeam stock.  One thing I'd change - have the lettered side of the heating pad facing down. It's warmer than the fuzzy side.

Edited...oops, never mind..you do have it that way.  Old eyes.

Its quite scary!! Sounds like a horror movie

 

[Blooie]

I think they do, WyoJax..at least they did last weekend. But the only size our Walmart in Cody stocks is the smaller one, which for 3 chicks should be fine! Welcome to the Broody Brigade! You know the drill - photos are your membership dues!