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

[ShrekDawg]

I'm concerned that the bigs would be able to perch on it if there was more wire? But idk??

I agree

I don't think they would but maybe. But probably not or if they did id doubt they would stay

The top of my coop brooder is usually wire or even plastic mesh and the chickens don't tend to want to walk out on that...feels a little shaky to them.  One or two may explore it, but I don't think they will perch or roost there. 

I agree with bee, would feel weird

 

[ShanandGem]

Well, I moved the little birds out to the coop with the big birds tonight. The babies are in a full wire box, separated from the big guys, and everyone is getting to know each other over the next few weeks.
My first batch is 5 weeks old and show no sign of giving up their MHP though - wusses. I had to built them a bigger one because they all still crowd into it at night.

 

[bruceha2000]

Quote:
My girls that go broody probably wouldn't sit on a 1/2" hardware cloth top, too much like the bottom of the broody buster

 

[jrjoplin]

A few pictures from our first day. I have to admit being a first time with MHP I had that skeptical little voice even though I knew the system worked. After today there isn't a doubt this is the way to go. It's been a few years since I've had chicks in a brooder but I can't remember ever having it be this quiet. I've even checked just because I wanted to make sure they were still in there. Nothing but soft happy peeps; that is until i start messing around in the brooder. Enough of that though I know you are all just here for the pictures.

This little guy was my iffy chick. She/he was a little lethargic out of the box but has perked up and acting normal. It's also the only one in my assortment with feathered legs so I'm interested to see what breed it turns out to be.




















I got one little NN but she (hopefully) isn't too photogenic.






Right now they are all (26) asleep under the 12x24 Sunbeam pad set at 4. I was going to take a tucked in for the night picture but it wasn't worth waking them up.

 

[emorems0]

Picked up our chicks at the PO today! They are SO tiny compared to the meaties that we helped rescue two weeks ago! I set all the newbies up under a MHP in an outdoor brooder. They seemed to get it pretty quickly, although I could see they were trying to stand up on their toes to reach their bodies up against the heating pad. After I took the pictures (which are on my phone, so I'll have to upload later), I put a nice pile of pine shavings under the MHP so it was a little higher for them - it also helped insulate against the cold ground, their little feet felt cold before I did that.

I do have one little chickie inside under a heat lamp... We took the kids out to the park and then picked up some pizza for dinner this afternoon/evening and after we were done eating I checked on the chickies to make sure they all made it back under the MHP (mama heating pad) for the night. One chick was laying on the grass looking dead I collected a turkey egg and came back to get the chick and I saw it move a little. It was ice cold when I picked it up so I held it against the MHP for a few minutes to see if I could get any response - it still felt freezing, but it was definitely alive. I brought it inside and mixed up some sugar water and then spotted my chick electrolyte stuff so I put a little of that in the water too. We warmed it up on a heating pad with a heat lamp overhead and gave it the electrolyte/sugar water in a dropper. Seems to be doing okay now, but it will spend the night inside. It has pooped, but I haven't seen it eat or drink on its own yet. My daughter put a little rubber chicken toy in the box with it.

Hubs doesn't want to let the heat lamp on over night (and I don't want to overheat the chick either), it's pretty warm in here (72)... thinking of putting a heating pad (just one of those microwave rice ones, all my electric ones are in use outside) under the box when I go to bed and covering it with a towel to keep the heat in, bad idea?

 

[poodlechicks]

I wouldn't. The "beauty part" of the MHP frame is it can be resized easily when made from wire. Push it down if the pad needs to be closer to the chicks, pull it up when they get bigger.

Thanks for your input bruceha2000. I went to the feed store and got a tomato cage. Should work for reshaping as needed.

 

[Jensownzoo]

Hubs doesn't want to let the heat lamp on over night (and I don't want to overheat the chick either), it's pretty warm in here (72)... thinking of putting a heating pad (just  one of those microwave rice ones, all my electric ones are in use outside) under the box when I go to bed and covering it with a towel to keep the heat in, bad idea?

You could just take it out and tuck it under MHP for the night. He/she shouldn't wander off when it's dark and you can check on it in the morning and move it back under the heat lamp if necessary.

 

[MesMama]

@jrjoplin SO stinking cute!!!

 

[jaslyman]

This site, and this thread in particular, has been so incredibly helpful. We are expecting our first ever baby chicks (15 in total) sometime next week, and was hoping to get some feedback on our initial setup. This will be just for the first 1-2 weeks, then I will move them into a bigger brooder (6'x3') in the garage.

We found a spare shelf organizer thingy, which seems like it would work well as a support for the heating pad / towel combo. The thermometer reads 85 with the heating pad set to 6. I'm still a bit unsure about what to use for bedding - I have pine shavings, playsand as well as shelf liner (bumpy and non-bumpy). Seems like the shavings would be good to have in the "nest" under the heating pad - maybe the shelf liner under the food/water?

Anyway, would love to hear if this looks ok to get us and our 15 baby chicks started. Any advice appreciated!

 

[junebuggena]

This site, and this thread in particular, has been so incredibly helpful. We are expecting our first ever baby chicks (15 in total) sometime next week, and was hoping to get some feedback on our initial setup. This will be just for the first 1-2 weeks, then I will move them into a bigger brooder (6'x3') in the garage.

We found a spare shelf organizer thingy, which seems like it would work well as a support for the heating pad / towel combo. The thermometer reads 85 with the heating pad set to 6. I'm still a bit unsure about what to use for bedding - I have pine shavings, playsand as well as shelf liner (bumpy and non-bumpy). Seems like the shavings would be good to have in the "nest" under the heating pad - maybe the shelf liner under the food/water?

Anyway, would love to hear if this looks ok to get us and our 15 baby chicks started. Any advice appreciated!

They are going to be too big to get in and out after a week or so. And the tub is only going to be big enough for a few a days, tops. The thing new chick owners underestimate the most is just how fast those chicks will grow. They double in size every week.