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

[poodlechicks]

Glad to hear!

 

[MesMama]

Little wing feathers coming in already! That's MHP right? Love MHP <3

 

[poodlechicks]

Supposed to quote blooie on her family returning home safely, but my phone has a mind of its own

 

[MesMama]

Just observe them thru out the day, if you can-only downside to coop brooding, they'll show you if they are not comfortable.

Can you tell me what to be looking for again please? I know I've read it multiple times as I read through this thread, but do you think I can recall it now when I need t? Nope. Lol! Anyway, I tried to find the posts yesterday and couldn't. I don't want to have it set too high, it's on 5, highs in the 50's lowes in the 20-30's. The floor is concrete so I put pine shavings down, then a towel under the mama, then more shavings and some straw.

Thank you aart!

 

[aart]

Substitute 'MHP' for 'lamp' below:

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

 

[MesMama]

Substitute 'MHP' for 'lamp' below:

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

Awesome thank you!!!

 

[beautifulpirate]

Mesmama- That's my understanding. The idea being that when they are subjected to cooler air, their little bodies tend to naturally feather out more quickly as a way of protection from the cold. When they are subjected to constant heat and light, their body temps effectively being regulated for them instead of learning how to regulate for themselves, they tend to not develop feathers as quickly. I have several that are 2 weeks old today and already have wing, tail and shoulder feathers. A couple even are getting some chest feathers developing. Their down is definitely spread much more thinly and it is just so exciting to see them change so much!

If I am being honest, I love the "awkward teenager" stage in chick development more than the fluffy new chick stage. They are just so cute when they are still scrawny and feathering out!!!

 

[dyorto]

I have the chicks some scrambled eggs today. They aren't quite sure about it. They peck at them and run away. I think they are most curious about the bowl . My EEs are really developing feathers fast!

 

[beautifulpirate]

I would love to see someone create a comparison photo chart of chicks under a heat lamp vs.chicks in a brooder with MHP, at various ages (ie 2 weeks, 3 weeks, etc) to see feather development differences. Obviously it would have to be same breed shown in either. But wouldn't that be neat to see side by side?

 

[aart]

I would love to see someone create a comparison photo chart of chicks under a heat lamp vs.chicks in a brooder with MHP, at various ages (ie 2 weeks, 3 weeks, etc) to see feather development differences. Obviously it would have to be same breed shown in either. But wouldn't that be neat to see side by side?

I don't think the MHP is any different than using a heat lamp......

...... as far as feather development is concerned (before someone bites my head off).......


.......one can manage the heat of a lamp and ambient temps to encourage faster feather growth also.
And on the flip side, you could keep MHP, and the room it's in, too warm and slow feather growth.



Got my brooder all set up, with plans to move the chicks and MHP to the coop after a few days....tomorrow is incubator lockdown on 20 eggs, I'm getting excited!!