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

[lalaland]

hmmm. I was wondering about the closed end but the mama cave is closed in the back, isn't it?

I just haven't figured out what will form the roof for the cave and hold the heating pad. I was thinking but haven't tested out that just hardware cloth would sag in the middle. And am not handy enough to build those nifty wooden ones with the holes so you can adjust the height.

Maybe I will go with a oven rack that is only a bit bigger than the heating pad and put it up on a 2" piece of wood....

I would replicate Blooies cave exactly except that it looks like a 6 chick thing...

 

[aart]

hmmm. I was wondering about the closed end but the mama cave is closed in the back, isn't it?

I just haven't figured out what will form the roof for the cave and hold the heating pad. I was thinking but haven't tested out that just hardware cloth would sag in the middle. And am not handy enough to build those nifty wooden ones with the holes so you can adjust the height.

Maybe I will go with a oven rack that is only a bit bigger than the heating pad and put it up on a 2" piece of wood....

I would replicate Blooies cave exactly except that it looks like a 6 chick thing...

I'm back and forth on the closed back....like it open mostly, mines flat with all sides open,
but did close back, sides and part of front with straw now that they're outside and it's below freezing nights.

ETA: the long narrow shape with closed back could cause a traffic jam at opening with a lot of chicks. I like wide front opening...with one side a bit lower than the other for 'custom fit' on smaller/bigger chicks.

 

[TerryH]

@TerryH 's looks like a dead end tunnel, narrow and deep rather than wide and shallow, could cause chicks to get trapped.......
.......needs to be squished down lower to ground too.

I've got a 12 x 24 pad laying flat with 16 week olds under it - 10 more could fit, tho for shorter period of time due to growth.

Hmmm. I guess I missed the part of them coming and going from both ends. Easily corrected if that's what I need to do. I've cut some out of the tomato cage. the front opening is 6" tall and 14" wide tapering down to 4x12. I was figuring that there would be an inch or 2 of wood chips in the MHP. I can easily modify it if I need to. Here's the heating pad in relation to the frame. Cheryl will be wrapping the pad in a towel and then press and sealing it.

I surely want it to be right for the babies. We are getting chicks today so no pressure.

 

[aart]

Quote: Oooo..... is that pinch weld along the raw edge?...wish I still had a stash of that stuff,used to make it in the plastic factory years ago.

Oh ...sorry, yeah, shavings or straw pile will get them closer to pad.

 

[TerryH]

Oooo..... is that pinch weld along the raw edge?...wish I still had a stash of that stuff,used to make it in the plastic factory years ago.

Oh ...sorry, yeah, shavings or straw pile will get them closer to pad.

It's split wire loom. I have multiple sizes on hand. lol...electric powered dragster left overs.

 

[aart]

So proud to finally brood the chicky babies outside with MHP....looking forward to trying my chick doors to integrate...
..THEN realize, run wire to big contain chicks, CRAP. Hmmmmm

 

[aart]

Quote: Oh, Was thinking of this stuff without the tubular seal part attached...pinch weld is what we called it at the plant, not it's 'retail' name.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So proud to finally brood the chicky babies outside with MHP....looking forward to trying my chick doors to integrate...
..THEN realize, run wire to big contain chicks, CRAP. Hmmmmm

I got a chuckle out of that Aart. Been there, done that. I have the same problem with my electric netting, the chicks can go through it until they are maybe seven weeks old so I keep them in the grow-out pen after they are out of the brooder for a few weeks. It’s always something. Broody hens raising the chicks with the flock are another issue. I trust to luck with them.

I put chicken wire around the base of my main run to contain the chicks. Think a bit like an apron to make sure they don’t go under. And watch your gates.

 

[TerryH]

Oh, Was thinking of this stuff without the tubular seal part attached...pinch weld is what we called it at the plant, not it's 'retail' name.

Technically pinch welt. Would have worked fine if had it on hand. I was afraid the they might skin their little noggins coming and going.

 

[dyorto]

The white stripes can only be that thick in males as they can have two copies of that gene while females can only have one.

Well shoot. Now I can notice how much darker the other barred rock is. I wasn't planning to keep any roos but this one is one of the more friendly chicks.