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

[Blooie]

I wanted to say, I am thrilled with the MHP... Chicks are not even a week old and are almost only going under the MHP at night. Much more cold tolerant than I thought. No pasty butt at all, and the chicks are so happy and contented!


Now I have a question. Why doesn't everyone use this?

-Banti

Because feed stores don't sell heating pads?

 

[aart]

Now I have a question. Why doesn't everyone use this?

-Banti

Well.....those who know, do....if they've got the bucks and handiness.

 

[mobius]

I wanted to say, I am thrilled with the MHP... Chicks are not even a week old and are almost only going under the MHP at night. Much more cold tolerant than I thought. No pasty butt at all, and the chicks are so happy and contented!

Now I have a question. Why doesn't everyone use this?

-Banti

Cause they drank the Kool-Aid?

@aart , lol on the breach, whoever said chickens were stupid? Now waiting on you fix...sorry it didn't work the first time!

@eagrbeavr , nice outdoor setup! looks like they are adapting perfectly!

I have a small collection of vintage juice glasses called for some unknown reason "Swanky Swigs". That is how you look them up on ebay ...

 

[Bowldy45]

Ok, you all have convinced me to rethink my brooder set up!! LoL I have abandoned most of my original set up, and now awaiting for the heating pad to arrive from Amazon :-D
I am still going to use 1 of the plastic totes that I have a hole cut in the side of. I have a small ramp built for the lil squirts to us and get into to for a small roosting post, grit box, fresh grass, weeds, etc. for them. Basically a "play area". I don't see having it in the coop where they will be more than a couple of weeks or so.
I also have the wiring all set and ready for the heating pad, got that put all together yesterday afternoon. 3 weeks and counting till the chicks arrive!!

 

[eagrbeavr]

I guess they just dont know better. We here are 'in the know'. I couldnt help but strut my strutter, so to speak, when I saw My Pet Chicken (or one of those) put a post up on FB of the chicks they sent to Martha Stewart and her hoytie toytie brooder.....with lamps!! Haha I laughed out loud. In total knee jerk reaction I responded how people 'in the know' dont use those archaic lamps and sent a link over to here.

 

[eagrbeavr]

Bowldy youre gonna love it. Once you have yourself set up, this system takes as much time and effort to maintain as a house plant

 

[GardenNut]

Well I was setting up my brooder box in preparation for Thursday's arrivals, and when I opened the pine bedding shavings, they seemed damp! I got them them at petco a few weeks ago and have long since thrown out the receipt. I'll go to the farm store tomorrow and see if they have some dry stuff. I was mad! Glad I opened them early! I also used hardware cloth to make a better MHP frame. Testing out the temp now. I hope it's swanky enough!

 

[eagrbeavr]

GardenNut, yea its good to go thru your stuff. You probably dont need to get all wrapped around the axle about it tho. Unless its humid where you are, with some fluffing, they should dry out fine, imo. You'd want it to be dry under the pad tho. You veterans agree?

Looking forward to seeing your set up, and dont worry, if it works, it works! Taking the leap and trying out this system puts you in the cutting edge of brooding. I come from a racing family, and how we see it, the guy with the car with all that fancy paint and big snobby trailer doesnt mean crap if you cant beat the guy who comes in with no paint, no sponsors on a car being towed to the track on a 1978 open trailer. Just 'run what you brung'

 

[Jensownzoo]

Came back 5 minutes later and FAIL!! ....it had been breached!! She went back thru no problem, barely a squeeze. Checked that I had done the 5x7 @azygous used, and well I missed by half inch..its 5.5 x7. But still, way too big to keep bigs out. Pretty easy fix really, but dammit!

Nice of her to beta test that for you!

 

[Pattycat]

So, it looks like tomorrow is the day! I will be getting my first batch of MHP chicks. I have been working on the set up, I will take pictures as soon as it is ready. I am super nervous. I can't wait to post my babies here, underneath their new momma!