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

[ShrekDawg]

Great idea for backup!!  And doing something to protect outlets from tripping is essential, I think.  My electrician hubby put our outside outlets in outdoor rated boxes with code approved covers so I don't really think too much about it - put the plug into the outlet, close the cover, and go about my business!  We also have a plastic thingy that we use if we have to have an extension cord out there, like we did last spring for MHP before Ken put the second outlet in the run.  I had to run an E-cord from the run, through the pop door into the coop and then plug it in.  The thing we got to go around the connection (where the heating pad cord is plugged into the extension cord end) is like a clamshell - you open it, make your connections and lay them inside, then close the cover.  

scrunches up nose....giggles.....a What?!  

Lol much easier and more fun to just say that

However the one time forever ago when Blooie did say the technical term, I bought one upon her recommendation along with all this and way too many watering nipples (that one isn't really Blooie, I just couldn't decide between vertical, horizontal, or saddle, and had read good about all. Settled on horizontal but I only got 5 of those. Have wayyyy more saddle and vertical LOL)

 

[Blooie]

scrunches up nose....giggles.....a What?!

You know, a plastic thingy. They are not quite as expensive as deelyfloppers and are significantly more user friendly than thingamagjgs or doohickeys. They also come in more colors that whatchamacallits.

 

[ShrekDawg]

You know, a plastic thingy.  They are not quite as expensive as deelyfloppers and are significantly more user friendly than thingamagjgs or doohickeys.  They also come in more colors that whatchamacallits.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Bwhaahahahah

at least it isnt a Muffler Bearing....

 

[lazy gardener]

Or an F-stop. Hubby used to work at a photo shop. They'd send the newbies down to the basement with specific instructions to come back with an assorted package of F-stops.

 

[aart]

Or go empty the bit bags on the back of the vax mainframes.

 

[GardenNut]

Love it!

 

[MesMama]

You guys are funny with your thingy's and doohickey's LOL! I am SO glad I am not the only one who uses those words...much to my hubby's shegrin

So this weekend was interesting and I was VERY thankful for MHP...again! We went to town on Saturday, checked all the chickens big and small, filled feeders etc and left until that afternoon. We get home and realize that the electricity had gone off like an hour after we left :O I was SO scared to go down to the coop, but I did and you know what? Everyone was perfectly fine! Most were under mama, some were out eating, basically a normal day! I was SO thankful for this option because I got to thinking, IF we had used a heat lamp they may not have faired as well? Who knows really, they would each other to huddle together and keep warm, so maybe they would've been fine?? Anyway, I was so thankful for MHP

And a question (I REALLY don't want to hijack but starting a thread for this simple question seems silly

)...do all breeds of chicks develop similarly? Like with buff o's the females get tail feathers and such quicker than the males, is that the same with all breeds?

 

[cmbookworm]

I wonder if this same method would work for turkeys? I know they like it slightly warmer than chicks. We are thinking of getting a couple and I really don't want to do the raising inside bit with them if it can be avoided. We're at the point in the year where it's nearly 80 during the day and 50s at night here.

 

[Blooie]

You guys are funny with your thingy's and doohickey's LOL! I am SO glad I am not the only one who uses those words...much to my hubby's shegrin

So this weekend was interesting and I was VERY thankful for MHP...again! We went to town on Saturday, checked all the chickens big and small, filled feeders etc and left until that afternoon. We get home and realize that the electricity had gone off like an hour after we left :O I was SO scared to go down to the coop, but I did and you know what? Everyone was perfectly fine! Most were under mama, some were out eating, basically a normal day! I was SO thankful for this option because I got to thinking, IF we had used a heat lamp they may not have faired as well? Who knows really, they would each other to huddle together and keep warm, so maybe they would've been fine?? Anyway, I was so thankful for MHP

And a question (I REALLY don't want to hijack but starting a thread for this simple question seems silly

)...do all breeds of chicks develop similarly? Like with buff o's the females get tail feathers and such quicker than the males, is that the same with all breeds?

Can't answer your breed/feathering question because, well, I really don't know. But as to the first part of your post - here's where the heat lamp has a partial advantage over Mama Heating Pad. (ooooh, did I say THAT?) With a heat lamp, the minute the power comes back on, so does the heat lamp. If you're using MHP, you have to go out, turn it back on, and remember to hit the Stay On switch. Now, that depends, of course, on which heating pad you are using. If you are using the one that @henless and a few others have, it turns itself back on. But most don't.

However - when that heat lamp goes out the entire brooder temperature drops. Not so with Mama Heating Pad. The majority of the brooder remains exactly the same temperature it was when power was lost, and the "cave" will retain enough heat to sustain the chicks surprisingly well, especially if they are cuddled together under it. The small space makes it easier to hold heat. Also when the heat lamp goes out suddenly, chicks who are used to 24 hour light are suddenly plunged into darkness AND chill at the same time. So I guess the score is still MHP ahead by 4!