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

[duluthralphie]

Forthwith pictures:





When I took the pictures this little guy come out to see what was up. He/she is a Speckled Sussex and we all know how friendly they are, don't we?




BTW this is the new 12x15 pad I used, I think I have 15 babies under it. well, 13 not counting the 2 on the top.

 

[Blooie]

I did the same thing... It made the coop so red it looked like it was on fire! Needless to say, I didn't sleep too well- and I am never doing it again, after learning more about the disasters that happen with them.

I just saw recently where someone posted that they had come home and gone into the garage to find it full of smoke. The heat lamp melted the plastic in the tote. Saved the chicks, and the garage is still standing, but it still makes me hurt for people who have had that and worse happen. It's so preventable.

 

[Blooie]

Forthwith pictures:





When I took the pictures this little guy come out to see what was up. He/she is a Speckled Sussex and we all know how friendly they are, don't we?




BTW this is the new 12x15 pad I used, I think I have 15 babies under it. well, 13 not counting the 2 on the top.

Oh Ralphie....are you TRYING to make me go out and get chicks before I even get these eggs in the incubator????

 

[duluthralphie]

I know how you feel. I just got off the phone with a woman (about 90 miles away) and told her she could come and get her chicks tomorrow night. The joy and happiness she had was infectious. She has been waiting 6 weeks to get some CLB's. I am so far behind on hatching them. 7 hens only give me 20-25 chicks a week.

 

[aart]

So portal wall installed.



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!

Tacked a chunk of 1x up there to reduce size of door from 5.5" to 4".......
then baited them all with some BOSS, looked pretty secure so left some BOSS on floor.
Came back an hour or so later and BOSS bait still there.
Rebaited them and watched a few try to shove thru...HA! no dice baby!!

So set up partition coop to test a couple layers(got some funky eggs, need to find out who),
before the chicks reside(hatch due in a week),
and a couple tried getting thru all the chick doors, tried hard and no joy for them.

So this should work, and is adjustable with just a couple easily reached screws.

 

[Blooie]

EPIC SAVE!!!

 

[Kmhv04]

Km, The only problems I recall people having is chicks getting stuck somehow. Ex: having the frame exposed against the pad, where the chicks rest up against. A couple have had chicks get a wing caught, so the remedy has been to wrap the entire thing in a pillow case or such and most people are putting the pad under the frame wrapping in cloth, then taping the whole thing to keep it from sagging. If you think its still sagging too much, a simple skewer under the pad but inside the cloth, then taped works. Mine sags a little. Works fine. I figure it probably feels like a soft belly or a warm comforter yoiu would sink into.

Another. Any place a chick could get wedged. Ex: Some prefer to have both the front and back open for escape for need be. One person I recall reported her one chick couldnt find its way back to the front, but could hear its broodmates so stayed where it was. Not sure, but I think she lost that chick. Mine isnt set up like that. Mine just has the one opening, like the original video posted at the beginning of the thread.

Trying to think of others.

No you dont need additional heat in the shop. Mine have been on a deck all week with nights going into the 20s. With wind chill, its in the 30s here now. They are on a covered deck butted up to the east side of the house, blocked by harsh wind. Theyre fine. Not just fine. Theyre happy. 

Temp. just try in on high in the beginning. then monitor theyre behavior. Many wind up turning it down after a few days. Mine is still on high. Some report their heat inside is 85-95, I believe. Mine is running higher. I thought it would be too high, but thats how they want it. They still stay tucked in about halfway and I know the pad up up against their backs.

I cant think of anything else. I imagine some others have thrown in by the time I get this posted.

So in a nutshell, remember the chicks can wedge themselves and dont overthink it. 

Thank you as well! I am actually so excited to try this! We live in a small house and don't have a ton of room to do the indoor brooding, not to mention the whole clamp lamp issues! I am more and more amazed and convinced by the MHP system!

 

[lazy gardener]

I wonder if Martha Stewart has a chick nanny?

Oh yeah for sure. And you can bet that Martha never has chicken poop on her shoes.

 

[dyorto]

There goes my nice clean pillowcase......

 

[Blooie]

There goes my nice clean pillowcase......

<insert evil laugh here>