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

[mobius]

I used 2 heavy metal baskets I bought at Dollarama. Zip tied them together and voila! Perfect geodesic chicken cave. As they got bigger they wanted to sleep on top though and huge fights would break out at night so today I replaced it with a 24" shelf 6 inches off the ground. Put the heating pad back on with a towel so everyone should fit on top and have warm feets all night long.
I left the geodesic cave in their house without a heating pad since it makes a great chicken play structure.

Yes what is UP with them only wanting to be on top? mine have been doing that since two weeks! And do not spend much if any time under!

Love the dome, that is just about perfect, BTW!

 

[bruceha2000]

Do you think these would work for new chicks? And is freezing a problem in the winter?

from another in Vermont.

I doubt you could use the water cups here in the winter (and yes I do know that it is equally cold in Minnesota). Even if you could insulate the "throat" and heat the water in the container enough for it to not freeze in the "throat" it will freeze in the cup so the trigger couldn't be actuated. Not a fan of having to run heat at them for hours every day.

I've not used horizontal nipples so I can't talk about them but I have built a 3/4" PVC pipe into the insulated bottom of the nest box in the coop. Only the metal pins of the saddle nipples stick out under the plywood bottom. It takes a very small reptile waterfall pump and an aquarium heater set at 75F in the 5 gallon insulated drink cooler to keep them working down to at least -15F. I have a stock tank heater that keeps them working down to +15F. I think those run about 45F??

 

[circlehouse]

 from another in Vermont.

I doubt you could use the water cups here in the winter (and yes I do know that it is equally cold in Minnesota). Even if you could insulate the "throat" and heat the water in the container enough for it to not freeze in the "throat" it will freeze in the cup so the trigger couldn't be actuated. Not a fan of having to run heat at them for hours every day. 

I've not used horizontal nipples so I can't talk about them but I have built a 3/4" PVC pipe into the insulated bottom of the nest box in the coop. Only the metal pins of the saddle nipples stick out under the plywood bottom. It takes a very small reptile waterfall pump and an aquarium heater set at 75F in the 5 gallon insulated drink cooler to keep them working down to at least -15F. I have a stock tank heater that keeps them working down to +15F. I think those run about 45F??

I'm right in central vermont.

Thanks for the tips, makes sense that the cups will freeze. The other system I was considering was horizontal nipples in a 5 gallon bucket with one of those bucket heaters...
Could you add a pic of your system? I'm having trouble visualizing it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I'm right in central vermont.

Thanks for the tips, makes sense that the cups will freeze. The other system I was considering was horizontal nipples in a 5 gallon bucket with one of those bucket heaters...
Could you add a pic of your system? I'm having trouble visualizing it.

I use a 5 gallon bucket with the horizontal nipples and mine works great so far! Installed it last month and we had 2 times where it got cold and froze overnight and there'd be a layer of ice at the surface of the water then down the sides over the nipples BUT surprisingly mine never stopped working. I've heard of people with iced over sides and there's stopped but not mine. Dunno why. I just tapped them harder than the chickens could and it worked fine. Was a little bit harder to press down than normal but still flowed. Plus usually by mid day or next day the ice melted anyway. But this winter was very mild for us, have had hardly any cold days. Next year I plan on using the heater. I bought a stock tank heater in the fall after I got my chicks but never had to use it. I think with that it really won't freeze. Before this I was having to constantly change their water. Stays a lot cleaner and with only my 8 it takes at least 2 weeks or more, to empty it. In fact I never even let ot get empty cause the nipples are a few inches off the bottom but it takes a long time to even get to halfway or to just above the nipples.

 

[duluthralphie]

from another in Vermont.

I doubt you could use the water cups here in the winter (and yes I do know that it is equally cold in Minnesota). Even if you could insulate the "throat" and heat the water in the container enough for it to not freeze in the "throat" it will freeze in the cup so the trigger couldn't be actuated. Not a fan of having to run heat at them for hours every day.

I've not used horizontal nipples so I can't talk about them but I have built a 3/4" PVC pipe into the insulated bottom of the nest box in the coop. Only the metal pins of the saddle nipples stick out under the plywood bottom. It takes a very small reptile waterfall pump and an aquarium heater set at 75F in the 5 gallon insulated drink cooler to keep them working down to at least -15F. I have a stock tank heater that keeps them working down to +15F. I think those run about 45F??

As you know, I am not all that bright, could you post a picture of your setup. Moving water in and out of an insulated system sound genius to me.

Water in winter is the biggest pain we have here.

 

[duluthralphie]

Why do some sit in the cave and some on the roof of the cave? It makes no sense they all seem happy..

I ma guessing the ones under are afraid of heights...Is that it?

 

[BantyChooks]

Why do some sit in the cave and some on the roof of the cave? It makes no sense they all seem happy..

I was wondering the same thing!

 

[mobius]

silly chicks!

 

[ShanandGem]

I think it's warmer inside the cave than on top. They also like to practice their roosting. They can sit on the top and be big birds and still have warm feets.

 

[mobius]

I think it's warmer inside the cave than on top. They also like to practice their roosting. They can sit on the top and be big birds and still have warm feets.

Awwwwwww!!! I am learning to think like a chicken....