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

[lazy gardener]

Blooie, lifting Kendra, Jen and the rest of your family up to the throne room.

 

[Blooie]

I brought home 6 chicks (meaties) last night, it was an unexpected arrival, but good practice before we have 40 coming next week. A local chicken mama works at a hatchery and these guys accidentally missed shipment and were supposed to be culled, instead she brought them to my house

Last night I just threw MHP together hap hazard. I put the hp on the underside of my wire frame with a bungee but it didn't seem very secure because my bungees were a bit too loose. I also didn't like that they could expose the wire frame on top when the towel shifts around.

So tis morning I set it up properly, I wrapped the hp with a one of those silver mylar blankets and attached it to the top of the wire frame. I also attached a towel on top and bottom so they'd have something soft on their backs.

Here's the question... they seem to prefer the top to the underneath and when I stick my hand in there it feels warmer on top too. I assume it's because on top they are right against the HP and underneath they are separated by the wire frame. I'm planning on moving them outside tomorrow (don't worry they aren't getting any artificial light inside) and I want to make sure they can get warm enough.

Do people normally put the hp on the top or the underside of the wire frame?

I suppose if I put the HP on the underside of the frame I can just put a piece of cardboard on top of the frame to keep the chicks legs from falling through the wire frame. I just thought I saw most pictures with the pad on top of the frame. *I also worry about the pad sagging in the middle over time if is underneath since there is just one bungee on each end.

Also, is it correct to wrap the mylar blanket around the MHP, or is that trapping the heat inside the blanket? I didn't quite understand how that was supposed to work.

***I DO have pictures, but I need to get them from my phone.

I don't think I'd use the mylar blanket. Some have but with varying results but it seems to me it takes more fiddling. That said, @azygous may come by and beat me over the head with a heating pad.

I think she's the one who either did it or planned to do it, can't remember which now and I'm old. QUite often chicks seem to prefer the top to being underneath, and that's usually not a problem. But it's usually about a week before they start doing that so I'm wondering if you can press your frame down to get the heat a little lower. Also the mylar might be reflecting the heat in a way you didn't anticipate.

@Beekissed and several others put the heating pad on the inside of the frame, using bungee cords just as you did. Then they put the entire assembly inside an old pillowcase. Me, I just drape the pad over it and then a towel over that (if they're inside, which I really don't do anymore) or a towel and then the straw when they're outside. I haven't had any issues with the frame bowing in the center, and I've used it for Scout, then 2 other batches of chicks and when these hatch I'll be using it again. But it's a good, sturdy piece of fencing.

@Redufresne the only concern I have with the plant hanger is that it might be very difficult to get that heat down just at the chicks' backs, since it's so high in the center. Can you flatten it out somewhat? Oh, and welcome to BYC!

 

[Blooie]

Thanks, LG! This is exciting and scary at the same time, and waiting to hear what they're going to do and when they're going to do it so suspenseful! All in the Good Lord's hands, and He's done a bang-up job with Kendra so far!

 

[Redufresne]

I have the heating pad gowing down the sides so chicks can cuddle up to it. Wont that work even though the center it taller, like an igloo? I have aux heat nearby and checked temp a minute ago. Its 80 degrees inside and all week old chicks are inside. Will they be okay?

 

[ShanandGem]

Today has been my first experience both hatching and using MHP exclusively to warm my chicks. I can state with confidence that they are content as can be and seem to settle quickly in the MHP cave. One very fussy chick, peeping and thrashing that I couldn't stand to leave in the bator any longer took no more than a few minutes to calm down in the cave and is now asleep. My two first hatched are venturing out and exploring their brooder already!

 

[Blooie]

I have the heating pad gowing down the sides so chicks can cuddle up to it. Wont that work even though the center it taller, like an igloo? I have aux heat nearby and checked temp a minute ago. Its 80 degrees inside and all week old chicks are inside. Will they be okay?

I still think it might be too high in the center. You want a cave rather than an igloo. With it domed like that it's not like a broody hen, where the heat is right down on them. I'm almost afraid they might pile up too tightly along the sides and the ones underneath the pile could suffocate. Extreme possibility, I know, but the shape of the frames we use has a reason. Also in a few more days they'll want to get up on top, and they aren't likely to do that with it that curved.

Folks have used tomato cages cut in half and made shorter and smushed (technical term) them down to get the curve you need, or you can even use a cookie cooling rack and just have the heating pad flat on top instead of having any curve at all. @aart does it this way, and I think duluthralpie and others do. You can see how to do this one by doing a search for "pseudo heat plate". I can't recall the exact name of the thread just now.

I'm not trying to be discouraging, but I want to be as helpful as I can be. You will find so many benefits from doing it this way that it's worth the fine tuning, I think!

@ShanandGem Yayyy! You did it!!!

 

[Blooie]

@Redufresne I found that lin k to @aart 's thread for you.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate

Look and see if this is something more doable for what you have on hand.

 

[Kmhv04]

Sure, azygous.  It's a Sunbeam X-Press Heat, 12"x15".  It will say right on the box that you can turn off the auto-off feature.  While the auto-shut off seems silly, daughter says it serves a very good function - if an elderly or otherwise less mobile person lays on the heating pad for too long, they can burn their skin.  So it helps prevent that but turning itself off.  The problem is trying to find one that doesn't have that feature anymore!  I like being able to bypass it for my purposes.

I went out and checked on the Littles.  Got the pee-waddin' scared out of me.  As I approached the run, I heard the Bigs but no peeping!  I ripped open the door and didn't see a single chick running around in their enclosure.  There was no sound at all coming from the cave.  With my heart down around my knees, I opened their door, crouched and put my hand under the heating.  15 very warm and very startled chicks scurried out like cockroaches when the light comes on!  They survived a night that got down to 23 degrees and did just great.  e

Hello! Not sure if this was mentioned or discussed on this thread (my apologies of it was) -- Was the Sunbeam 12" x15" heating pad the "large" one you were using or is it the smaller one? You really got my mind going with this interestingly close to "natural" method! I just may have to try it myself! So cool! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Redufresne]

@blooie: No discouragement! I went back down and was able to squash the dome so now it is quite low at back and along roof, just big enough for the chicks, with plenty of room for everyone to put backs against the heating pad, but it very gradually gets taller to the door of about 3 to 4 inches. Ill post picture tomorrow. I think they will be good for the night. They were all under the taller version and sleepng, but came out for snacks and drinks when i turned the light on for my reengineering. I love that they get normal day night cycle. Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[Redufresne]

@blooie: I did have that cooling rack and tried it, but it took up too much room in the very large bin. Then I bent and taped sharp edges f hardware cloth in a sloping shape, but didnt like it as well as the igloo because it didnt seem sturdy. Went back to see if the igloo squashed and it DID! So i'm all set. What, exactly, should temperature be inside? I guess tIts up to the chicks to be as warm as they want? One was nearer the door when the igloo was taller, so I guess they know how to work it out.