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

[ShrekDawg]

Yes they work for chicks. I use them on them. I would not use them in first week or two though.  

I have those cups on 35 gallon plastic barrels.  I use an O ring to make sure they do not leak at the barrel. I also thread the barrel.

I put a little ACV in each barrel and I can go 2 weeks without cleaning them. I use a toilet brush to clean the barrels every two weeks, I have them set up all over my yard so the birds are never far from water.  It also gives my wife something to complain about so she ignores the really bad things I do....

As for winter. They are not great. I used them in my coop but when it was below -10 the throats froze up. I put the 35 gallon barrel inside a 55 gallon barrel insulated it and dropped a livestock heater into the bottom of the 35 gallon barrels... Did that make any sense?


I wrapped the whole thing with that shiny silver insulation that is basically aluminum foil covered bubble wrap. I cut holes for the water cups to slide through.  I had to point a heat lamp at them 4-5 hours a day to get a days water from them. They tend to freeze right in the throat of the cup.

I am using them now with no trouble, my spring is about like the rest of the worlds winters.   So they may work for you.  For me I am going back to double walled steel founts on those heated bases and carry water all winter.....sigh... 

Have you tried the horizontal nipples? They may work better than big cups like that and I hear they freeze less than vertical nipples. I have the horizontal ones but we had a very mild winter this year plus I have a 5 gallon bucket but it works well. I didn't put the livestock tank heater in and 2 nights it froze, ice on top and all the way down the sides over the nipples, but oddly enough, they never froze up, I just tapped them, harder than the birds could, and they still worked. They were a little bit harder to press but didn't stop working. And on the warmer days the ice melted by afternoon. I really like them. Though maybe with more birds a 5 gallon bucket might not work but I,hear people even have them on 55 gallon drums and have success.

 

[poodlechicks]

Coming in later in the day I found the side nipple cup at TSC. I want to try it w/ my chicks later on.

 

[aart]

Cups are cups, nipples are nipples.....just sayin'.

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote: ralphie, sounds like you need to get some replacements

The WORST older offender is Peep. She is a Cubalaya, about 2/3 the size of the rest of the birds (younger ones included). But the younger ones will still run if she pecks at them eating "her" treats, even though there is plenty right under her beak and she goes out of her way to chase off a nearby "little". I'm pretty sure she gets LESS in the way of treats because all the other birds are chowing down while she is chasing off a younger (but larger) bird. Chickens are stupid

I have a hen like your Peep.

I think the other hens must snicker at her when she is chasing off the younger birds while they all chow down....now let her go after one of them and they give ground quick-like!


I've been enjoying reading this thread and have ordered and received the smaller Sunbeam heating pad w/o the auto turn-off. I have a large and small Eco Glow but like the idea of heating pad...so much like a momma hen. If I don't get a couple of more broody hens by next weekend when the Easter HAL eggs are due, I'll be putting the MHP to the test. I promised the small Eco Glow to a friend last fall for a spring shipment of chicks so I might need a replacement.
Yes, @Blooie , I have my camera ready!

 

[member 373180]

I tried integrating again now at 3.5 weeks with lots of shared time enjoying scratch on either side of the fence for the last week. It went so much better! The littles know to keep out of the way of the bigs and the bigs ignore them or tell the littles off and then go back to whatever they were doing. No hunting, no mob scenes. I will do several more supervised sessions until they're all definitely sharing space and food. Yay!
Those littles are so funny exploring their new world.

 

[poodlechicks]

From what I saw at TSC, the bird is supposed to push on the nipple and water falls into the cup. A sort of combination?

I'll try them for when the chicks grow a bit older so they don't run the risk of drowning in the cup. A day-old chick head fits in there.

 

[duluthralphie]

Coming in later in the day I found the side nipple cup at TSC. I want to try it w/ my chicks later on.

I have a pile of them here. my chickens are too stupid to use them. And if the chickens are too stupid, do you think the turkeys could ever learn them?

ralphie, sounds like you need to get some replacements

I did, I moved the week olds into the dining room today. It is all good I can sit here, watch and listen to the babies..

 

[poodlechicks]

I have a pile of them here. my chickens are too stupid to use them. And if the chickens are too stupid, do you think the turkeys could ever learn them?

No idea. I don't raise turkeys.

Anyway, I'm going to gather the material to make the brooder, order the pad and test it in advance to have everything ready for the chicks. I have plenty of time till the second week of April.

 

[emorems0]

I need to get my act together! I thought I had until the week after Easter to get my set up ready but I just got a message from a local chicken mama who needs to re-home 6 broiler chicks (hatched Tuesday). I'll be picking them up on Saturday! This will be a great trial before my 40 chicks come... and I'll actually be here to get them settled and fiddle with the brooder, unlike when the big group comes and I'm out of town so it's all on DH. This makes my control freak feel so much better.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I'm sure you probably tried everything but just to be sure, did you have all other water sources out and/or give them enough time? Mine all picked it up same day but some were faster but they were fast learners. But I know some birds have taken up to a week or more which seems mean but that's why you gotta do it during moderate temps not freezing cold or really hot and some people give watermelon and watery treats for hydration. But I definitely an not an expert on the watering nipples or anything since these are my first birds and like I said mine picked it up same day but I did a lot of research and it can takes forever