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

[Blooie]

Sweet Pea and Yokel

Katiebug helping put her 2 Bantams in the brooder.

The new kids....with Sweet Pea and Yokel smack dab in the center.

I can't wait to see what color these Easter Eggers turn out to be!

Yokel

Bucket of chicken headed out to live in the run.

Out in the run for the first time. Eating, drinking, and heading in single file.

 

[Blooie]

Ok so I have only read through part of this massive thread so if these questions are answered somewhere in it I apologize. So I brought home 5 one week old chicks from Wilco today and wanted to use this method of heating as I am scared of heat lamps. So my plan is to build a larger better brooder over the next few days and put it on my front porch and brood them outside. Until then they are in my spare room in a plastic tub brooder. I set up a little heating cave for them and they took to it immediately, so that is good. Here's the thing they haven't come out like at all, they just seem to want to chill out under there. So I guess how much do they move around during the day, or how active should they be at this age? Or could they just be a bit stressed from coming home and need time to just chill out in there?

My second question, is the way we have it set up, for now there is a bit of a gap between the cave structure and the heating pad on the edges. Some of my chicks are going in there, so between the heating pad and the cave side, if that makes sense. Should I be worried about the chicks getting burned because they are in direct contact with the heating pad? It doesn't feel real hot and they are not sitting on it they are just under it so I think its ok, but this is my first time with chicks, well any chickens for that matter. I am planning on redoing the cave structure to hopefully fix this problem but until I can I was hoping they would be ok as is.

Thank you all so much for any help!

Sorry it took me a bit to get to your questions. I was posting pictures of the Apple Dumpling Gang and had to do some editing because the shots were all out of order. Many still are, but oh, well!!

They may stay under there for a bit....new surroundings can be a booger for them sometimes, and if one or two don't venture out the others probably won't either. So reach under, grab a couple out, show them where the food and water are, and that should break the ice a bit. They are more focused on staying warm and hiding right now, so it'll take a brave one or two to get the rest more comfortable. I wouldn't worry too much except.....

....for the fact that you have a gap in your set up big enough for a chick to maybe get stuck. Have you peeked under there - just lift the cave - to be sure they are all accounted for? They won't burn themselves on the heating pad. They like that contact with the pad. So rest your mind there but make sure that none of them are so stuck they can't get back out, and if you can fix the gap.

Welcome to the Broody Brigade, by the way. Your dues are photos of your little ones! I just paid mine!

 

[Nariah01]

Sorry it took me a bit to get to your questions. I was posting pictures of the Apple Dumpling Gang and had to do some editing because the shots were all out of order. Many still are, but oh, well!!

They may stay under there for a bit....new surroundings can be a booger for them sometimes, and if one or two don't venture out the others probably won't either. So reach under, grab a couple out, show them where the food and water are, and that should break the ice a bit. They are more focused on staying warm and hiding right now, so it'll take a brave one or two to get the rest more comfortable. I wouldn't worry too much except.....

....for the fact that you have a gap in your set up big enough for a chick to maybe get stuck. Have you peeked under there - just lift the cave - to be sure they are all accounted for? They won't burn themselves on the heating pad. They like that contact with the pad. So rest your mind there but make sure that none of them are so stuck they can't get back out, and if you can fix the gap.

Welcome to the Broody Brigade, by the way. Your dues are photos of your little ones! I just paid mine!

Thank you for getting back to me! I went back there to check on them and I pulled them out to get a real good look at each. They all started eating and stayed out for a little while, which made me feel a little bit better about it all. I plan on fixing the cave today in a bit, myself and my DH are both sick so we take a lot of breaks during the day lol. They can't get stuck that I can see but it does concern me so I am going to fix it tonight. Which do you think is better, a cave like set up with the rounded sides, or more of a heat plate like set up with a flat top? I could easily do either with maybe 20 minutes work with what we have on hand.

I might also order the heating pad you have used as the one we have is a cheap older one with just the sliding low-med-hi option. It doesn't shut off, or at least hasn't for the last four hours, but I do wonder about how hot it gets and how well it will hold up to 24/7 use. They just overall seem to be quiet calm chicks. Although when one eats they all mob the same spot and it makes me laugh. I am hoping to get a nice brooder built for my covered porch tomorrow and moving them outside, gets around 70ish during the day and 40s at night. And then over the next few weeks we will build our coop, or convert the greenhouse into a coop. I'll try to get some pictures next time I go in there to hover and stare at them, but for now I will just share what breeds I have. I got 2 buff Orps. , 1 barred rock, 1 white rock, and 1 Colombian Wyandotte.

 

[GardenNut]

Well my 4 girls will be 4 weeks tomorrow, and they haven't been near MHP in days. They prefer to hunker down in a corner at the other end of the box for the night. They've been spending most of their days in their playpen outside. We finished extending the run today and put the girls in there for a couple hours before bringing them in for the night. Tomorrow night is only supposed to get down in the 50s, so I think I'll make the big move tomorrow. The coop will be strange to them, but I think they'll be fine. They're pretty feathered out already and now getting feathers on their heads already! Maybe being outside in temps as low as the high 40s helped! I know that's a heat wave for some MHP folks on this thread! All that said, I'm a true believer of MHP! Now if I could come with a good use for that darn lamp!

 

[Blooie]

Thank you for getting back to me! I went back there to check on them and I pulled them out to get a real good look at each. They all started eating and stayed out for a little while, which made me feel a little bit better about it all. I plan on fixing the cave today in a bit, myself and my DH are both sick so we take a lot of breaks during the day lol. They can't get stuck that I can see but it does concern me so I am going to fix it tonight. Which do you think is better, a cave like set up with the rounded sides, or more of a heat plate like set up with a flat top? I could easily do either with maybe 20 minutes work with what we have on hand.

I might also order the heating pad you have used as the one we have is a cheap older one with just the sliding low-med-hi option. It doesn't shut off, or at least hasn't for the last four hours, but I do wonder about how hot it gets and how well it will hold up to 24/7 use. They just overall seem to be quiet calm chicks. Although when one eats they all mob the same spot and it makes me laugh. I am hoping to get a nice brooder built for my covered porch tomorrow and moving them outside, gets around 70ish during the day and 40s at night. And then over the next few weeks we will build our coop, or convert the greenhouse into a coop. I'll try to get some pictures next time I go in there to hover and stare at them, but for now I will just share what breeds I have. I got 2 buff Orps. , 1 barred rock, 1 white rock, and 1 Colombian Wyandotte.

That is purely a personal choice, so I won't tell you which way to go. If they are going to be outside, then the cave is the better option for me - I like it because it holds the heat in all the way around. But if they are someplace where you don't have to worry about cold around the sides, then take a look at @aart 's set up. And so help me, I'm going to mess this up again - I always mess up the title of her thread. But if you go up to the search box and type in "Pseudo Heat Plate" it should be close enough to get you the link. Sorry, I'm old and easily confused.

If you can, by all means order a newer pad. Hubby has been an electrician for over 45 years, and he wouldn't let me use an old pad we had around the house because he said that the heating element wires can become brittle after years.

These chicks will be quieter than you expect. They are calmer because they have a secure place to hide if they get spooked, they get a good night's sleep, and they don't have glaring lights on them all the time.

Well my 4 girls will be 4 weeks tomorrow, and they haven't been near MHP in days. They prefer to hunker down in a corner at the other end of the box for the night. They've been spending most of their days in their playpen outside. We finished extending the run today and put the girls in there for a couple hours before bringing them in for the night. Tomorrow night is only supposed to get down in the 50s, so I think I'll make the big move tomorrow. The coop will be strange to them, but I think they'll be fine. They're pretty feathered out already and now getting feathers on their heads already! Maybe being outside in temps as low as the high 40s helped! I know that's a heat wave for some MHP folks on this thread! All that said, I'm a true believer of MHP! Now if I could come with a good use for that darn lamp!

Mine just moved outside to the run today. Two of them were hatched here on Tuesday and the other 7 were probably 4 days or so when I got them. Supposed to be down to 34 degrees tonight. The only ones I'll confess to be a little worried about are the 2 little Bantams. Never had chicks that tiny before. Yours are the age mine were last year when we had them fully integrated with the adults and had taken out MHP completely.....and it wasn't as warm as you guys are, that's for sure!

Use for the lamp? Well, sometimes Ken will use it out in the garage if he's working on something and wants a little heat right where he's standing. Other than that, hold on to it - someday it might be an antique and people will say, "Believe it or not, people used to have these things hanging above plastic containers and cardboard boxes in their houses, or above hay and straw in their chicken coops!"

 

[hpierce88]

Others have also reported chicks getting hung up in the wires...I guess in an attempt to get as close to the pad as possible. I have never had that happen, but just in case I modified mine a couple of days ago the the way @Beekissed does hers and boy, is it ever easy to do! I love Press 'n Seal, but early on in the thread we discussed the possibility of the adhesive adhering to the pad when put directly on it. So I just put it on the top of the towel. Never thought about it sticking to the chicks, but since they only have it on top of the towel and there's no ends of it loose anywhere, it's been a non-issue for me.

Here is a link the page with information on how Bee does it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update/450

Pasty butt is a pain in the butt, no two ways about it. It may take her a little bit to start pooping normally after cleaning, but at least she got some out rather than being totally blocked and possibly dying a miserable death. Couldn't hazard a guess as to the distressed cheeping, unless she got a chill after being wet. Maybe a bit of a tummy ache if she'd been blocked up too, I don't know. Just make sure she stays warm. Shove her under there if you have to. (Tuff love) If she's pretty runty she may be struggling just to survive, and with chicks, whether raised under a lamp or MHP there are never any guarantees. Some just don't thrive.

I haven't had any PB since starting with MHP......wait, that's a lie. I had two chicks with it when I first got them and before I put them out I cleaned them and put a dab of olive oil on them. Had to clean it off the same two chicks a second time, but no repeat performances after that. I guess that's not bad out of 33 chicks. With my first batch of chicks, lamp raised, I battled it with them constantly! I repeat what I've said before - I have absolutely NO scientific proof that MHP prevents Pasty Butt. But overheating, overeating, and lack of true sleep must play some kind of role or broody raised chicks would suffer from it as much as brooder raised chicks, and it just doesn't seem to happen.

In defense of the MHP method, this batch of Speckled Sussex chicks at the feed store was already having issues - about 50% of them had yuck butt, which was pretty noticeable since they were eye level in the brooder. I specifically made the guy check each chick before putting them in the box. Hard to say whether it was a new development, or if the guy got tired of checking and putting them back. Oddly enough, the next day when I went back (today), the rest of the Sussex were gone, and there must have been at least 30 left in there yesterday morning... Not sure how fast they sell, but I'm hoping they sold and they weren't ...well, "not sold." -_-

Since covering the wire frame with p 'n s, the temp is up in the cave. It's been a steady 78-80 since yesterday morning, and now it's saying 87. Not sure if it's because it's better insulated without all those holes, or if it's more due to the fact that it was 70+ degrees outside today. I just went down to check on them though, and they are all laying down flat, kinda spread out, like a chick carpet. No panting, or signs that it's uncomfortable for them. Everyone is in the cave and all is quiet except for an occasional little peep-peep.

Beautiful day outside today. Scrubbed my coop clean (Ew! THAT was a messy job!!), added another 3ft of roost space in the coop, and put a cool tree branch in the run for them to play on. I'm excited to put them out there.

It's almost 8:30 p.m, and we've still got our windows open. Yay! Gotta love New England and our crazy weather.

 

[eagrbeavr]

I havent been following on this thread much so I hope everyone is having great success. In this little coop of mine, as far as the MHP is concerned, it's a wrap!

For the past two weeks, the chicks were in a grow out pen and had a separate run within the hen run. They're in their forth week. Today I took down the netting and it was full access for everyone. Proud and happy to report there was barely an ounce of bullying from the hens towards the chicks. In light of that, I set up a mini cage in the coop. The weather temp has turned so nicely, the MHP isn't in there. I put a printer paper box with some of their familiar bedding in it instead. After some chirps of displeasure with their new environment, and after several minutes of finding their own little spot in the box, all it quiet. Now we're all on the home stretch to full integration.

I want to thank everyone involved for the collective experiences, the knowledge, and the inspiration to do this. I'd also like to thank the moderators who keep this site running. This has been a fabulous experience.

Well wishes to all you fellow peeps and your peepers.

 

[Blooie]

I havent been following on this thread much so I hope everyone is having great success. In this little coop of mine, as far as the MHP is concerned, it's a wrap!

For the past two weeks, the chicks were in a grow out pen and had a separate run within the hen run. They're in their forth week. Today I took down the netting and it was full access for everyone. Proud and happy to report there was barely an ounce of bullying from the hens towards the chicks. In light of that, I set up a mini cage in the coop. The weather temp has turned so nicely, the MHP isn't in there. I put a printer paper box with some of their familiar bedding in it instead. After some chirps of displeasure with their new environment, and after several minutes of finding their own little spot in the box, all it quiet. Now we're all on the home stretch to full integration.

I want to thank everyone involved for the collective experiences, the knowledge, and the inspiration to do this. I'd also like to thank the moderators who keep this site running. This has been a fabulous experience.

Well wishes to all you fellow peeps and your peepers.

And that, Broody Brigade, is what it's all about! Folks on some other threads have the worst time when we tell them that some of us have full integration with the flock by the time the chicks are 4 weeks old. But it can be done, and it's surprisingly not difficult. I'm excited to put @azygous 's portals to work when the time comes. Congratulations. Well done!

 

[suchcutenails]

1. If they are on top of the pad and not distressed, it may be too hot under the pad.
Turn the heat down on the pad and see if they go under.

Thank you! I turned down the heat and this seemed to change the issue for most of the day! However, now that it is night time, and they are 'putting themselves to bed', about 8 are sleeping huddled together on the top. and the other 5 are under. It is between 65 and 70 degrees in the room. Should I shoo them under before I turn out the light? I did last night, but maybe they know if they will be warm enough? It may be that I need to turn down the heating pad one more notch, but I don't really want to try it right before I go to bed. I had thought I would do that tomorrow and check the temp. I'm really trying to not obsess over this

One thing I love about the heating pad is how idiot proof it seems to be! At least compared to a heat lamp... lol.

 

[aart]

Quote: The MHP and a lamp both have that same issue of...are they warm enough, do I have the heat set right?
Time will tell, just try and relax....fit they are not chirping in distress they in that warm of a room, it won't hurt them to sleep on top.