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

[Victoria-nola]

Relax. 69 is not too cold. The room that my brooder is in, is usually about 55 to 60. They do not need any additional heat, just the MHP. As long as your roof overhang is enough to keep the rain from blowing in through the windows, they will be fine. If not, it's something you should address, by extending the roof line, or covering the windows.

Thank you! While I was waiting for responses I went back out to the coop and it was better-- the day has warmed up slightly and the nighttime damp is drying off a little. I did realize that there is a draft coming in from the pop door and I'm on my way back out there to block the draft from that end of the brooder with thick towels and rugs. Unfortunately I have positioned the MHP cave opening as facing the pop door (accidental) so that means the draft can go in there But I'm reluctant to change it around because the chicks are confused enough. I wound up keeping them in the house 3 nights and used a smaller heating pad I had on hand to create an ad-hoc MHP for temporaries. The one for the coop wouldn't fit in the brooder cage indoors.

We have housecats so I had to ensure they were tight and safe. I took the opportunity to inform my cats that these are "MY chickens" and they mostly stopped lurking. Also, to answer another recent query, our cats, even the fiercest hunters, are terrified of the adult chickens and give them a wide berth. I am working on solutions about the chicks and the cats outdoors. Our cats are not feral and we feed them quite well, so they don't hunt from necessity. We have 2 cats who hunt mice and rats, which we approve of, but they also catch lizards which we do not. I have not found any feather evidence that they are catching any birds. But, the chicks are vulnerable. So I'm thinking about it. I do expect that the chicks will stick to the adults like glue and since the cats don't go near the adults... but I'm not sure. Will observe and adjust according to observed behaviors.

One other thing-- while in the house I had the heat lamp (infrared black ceramic bulb) on them in addition to the MHP. This was mainly because I had trouble with the incubator and I couldn't leave the chicks in there as they were hatching. Long story. Plus I had 2 chicks with problems that I assisted according to the cautious and careful instrux via BYC. Anyway, I had 2 delicate chicks and a bunch of chicks that were wet when I put them in MHP so I used the heat lamp to ensure ultimate warmth and comfort. This confused the chicks when I put them outside in the coop because they were used to that heat coming down on top of MHP. So, if at all possible, really REALLY recommend not using heat lamps during the first few days if going to move them outdoors.

Just a report on my hatch-- started with 22 eggs from our Easter Egger hens with our blue Americauna purebred rooster. Wow beautiful color he threw, can't wait to see them mature! 4 eggs were clears, so out of 18 fertile eggs, 11 hatched and one passed away (I kept her in my bra so she had me the whole time, it was clear she had imprinted and I loved her too). So I have 10 beautiful chicks. Will try to get pics up... I'm behind on work (I work at home) and desperately need to get to it!

 

[Jensownzoo]

I had an attempted chick suicide this morning! I lifted the cave frame to clean out the overnight turds, and there was a little chick with her head caught at the very rear where the power cord comes off the pad. The bungie had slipped due to repeated lifting to clean under it, and it created a fold in the pad that wasn't easy to see for a chick bent on finding the absolute only place in the entire pen to kill herself to stuff her head into.

Luckily she couldn't wiggle any farther into the space between pad and frame or she may have suffocated. As it was, I lifted the pad, shook it, and out she tumbled, no worse for the attempted suicide. She shook her head a couple times, and then she was racing off to join her sisters in feverish chick games, deciding it's not a good day to die, after all. Heck, the sun is out after a week of dreary cold and gloom. We all here in Colorado have a reason to live again.

So I refastened the pad to the frame, placing the bungie on the inside of the cord connector so the bungie can't slip again. I mean, really, leave it to a chick to find a flaw in the MHP frame assembly and try, I mean, really try to kill herself. You'd think these chicks are part gopher or something the way they love to burrow.

At least it turned out okay, but really chicks?!? They need to find another occupation!

 

[Beekissed]

Moved my new chicks out to the chicken coop last night. No straw locally available so used bermuda grass hay, also the only hay available. It is very humid here and unseasonably cool (about 69F), overcast and with massive rain due tonight, and the chicken coop has open windows covered in hardware cloth because we are in the Deep South and adults don't need heat here (I cover the hardware cloth if it gets really cold). Point is, there is no good way to prevent the humidity getting inside the coop and therefore the brooder.

But, the hay in the brooder area is very cold and clammy feeling. I'm fixing to add the heat lamp (infrared black reptile style ceramic bulb) just to dry it out some in there. Can't find my thermostat at the moment so it would just be on 24-7, which defeats our purpose with MHP.

Any thoughts about another solution? The chicks are getting cold pretty quickly when they exit MHP which makes me worry they will not get the hydration/nutrition they need.

Any thoughts?

69* is cool????

I'm thinkin' they will adjust. I'd leave the heat lamp out of the equation and just lay down some dry bedding now and again.

 

[junebuggena]

69* is cool????

I'm thinkin' they will adjust. I'd leave the heat lamp out of the equation and just lay down some dry bedding now and again.

LOL! Right! That's tank top, shorts, and sandal weather here!

 

[Victoria-nola]

69* is cool????

I'm thinkin' they will adjust. I'd leave the heat lamp out of the equation and just lay down some dry bedding now and again.

Heh. Yeah. By this time here it's usually mid-70s or warmer, and 68-70 feels cool to those acclimated here. It's nice to have a long cooler spring but didn't plan on that with the chicks, and of course I've got first-time MHP nerves.

Thanks, I did not put on the heat lamp.

 

[Victoria-nola]

Relax. 69 is not too cold. The room that my brooder is in, is usually about 55 to 60. They do not need any additional heat, just the MHP. As long as your roof overhang is enough to keep the rain from blowing in through the windows, they will be fine. If not, it's something you should address, by extending the roof line, or covering the windows.

Forgot to mention that the coop is in a stall in an old barn and there is a very very deep roof overhang. Thank you.

 

[Beekissed]

LOL! Right! That's tank top, shorts, and sandal weather here!

Yes. I was in shorts and sleeveless T this morning at 48*. At 69* I'm sweatin' and looking for shade!

 

[lazy gardener]

Gonna be 76 and nice tomorrow according to Mr. Weather. I got 2 rows of corn planted (pre-sprouted). Need to get the rest of the pre-sprouted stuff in the ground tomorrow. Potatoes. Could even start setting some tomatoes, and peppers (peppers will go under milk jugs. Amazing how fast the garden gets filled up.

 

[azygous]

69F is downright summery. Ten days ago when I brought home my one-day olds and installed them in my run under MHP, that's how warm (or cold) it was. Those one-day old chicks spent more time running around exploring the new world they found themselves in than they did hunkering under MHP.

Now at eleven days old, they won't use the cave at all when it's close to 70F. They all have full wing feathers and are hopping up to the perch with no effort.

 

[Leahs Mom]

When I brought the Buckeyes home it was in the 40s during the day and 30's at night. 3 day olds. They spent more time out running around the brood pen than under the heat.