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

[ShrekDawg]

Young birds under 20 weeks taste no different than the chicken you are used to. It does, however have more texture. The meat is firmer and it doesn't turn to mush in your mouth. Stock, on the other hand, is completely different. Commercial stock is basically chicken flavored water.
I prefer the flavor of mature rooster though. It's like beef.

Mature as in how old? Years?

Hmm, that's definitely interesting. Thanks! I think I'd prefer chicken that didn't fall apart haha

And wow I had no idea mature birds could taste that much different or that chicken could taste like beef. I kinda wanna try it now.

And you're right, store stock is gross. Probably flavored with artificial stuff too and so salty.

I know this is somewhat random but have you ever had any game animals? I don't think I ever have but my mom's dad used to hunt a lot and she grew up in PA so I think she's had a lot of different things. According to my parents we've had some different things too but I don't remember.

I want to try some of it but since we've always just bought store meat I'm not sure I'd like it.

You know, stuff like venison, lamb (we've actually made lamb semi a lot, i dont like it. Never tried it tho), duck, goose, bison/buffalo (are those different?), alligator, pheasant, quail, rabbit, moose, bear, etc., etc. I know some of those probably aren't game animals but hopefully you know what i mean, exotic animals i guess, something other than meat you buy in a store.

 

[junebuggena]

Mature as in how old? Years?

I like them at least 1 year old. Completely different flavor from those under 20weeks.

 

[aart]

Quote: I Know, Right??!!
Bone Broth...cook it until it gels when cooled......mmmmm.
Not sure I'd go as far to say it tasted like beef tho.

Saw an America's Test Kitchen review on PBS of commercial chicken stock/broth....some of it doesn't even have any chicken in any form in it.

 

[MistyMountain]

Just paying my dues.... 5 mottled javas hatched today in the incubator. Two more still drying off, one more pip and two taking their time. They have taken to mhp like they were hardwired to do it, lol!

 

[Victoria-nola]

I don't have chicks yet but saw this thread and am excited to use this method. I'm in Oklahoma and the daytime temps are still 100. I'm thinking if outside they need a fan! So I may wait for milder temps.

I'm in Mississippi. I think the chicks are fine with warmer temps. It would be better to have the chicks more mature as winter hits when it's colder and they do better when they are bigger. Although I know people here have had chicks in freezing temps that did great with MHP. The chicks just us the MHP less and you have to turn off the MHP or turn it to the number"1" temp during the day. I guess what I'm saying is, no need particularly to wait, especially since you won't get the chicks instantly, won't it take a couple weeks?

 

[lesjsmith]

Hi:

I tried your mama pad and had a disaster. My chickies crawled up in between the wire frame to get closer to the heating pad and I had 2 that actually got strangled on the large wire. My solution was to take the Glad Cling Wrap and actually wrap the heating pad along with the large wire frame all together so that the babies cannot snuggle up in there and get caught. It works wonderfully with that modification.

 

[FlyWheel]

Well, it's official. My first MHP-babies have grown up!

Thanks, Blooie!

 

[omalicha]

That's odd.  I'm sorry it didn't work for you.  It almost sounds like the auto-shut off turned off anyway. I had that happen when I turned the pad back on after having it off for a bit, and forgot to hit the switch to bypass the auto-shut off.  Mine maintained a solid 82.9 degrees in the cave, plenty warm for them considering that they cuddle together and the heat is more directly on them.  I started the chicks out on the 6 setting, and have lowered it now to the 4.

Earlier in the thread someone else asked about switching older chicks to this method, and I responded that I wasn't sure that it would work.  I suggested that they might try either putting the cave in and letting the chicks get used to it, or tuck them in under it at night in the dark.  But I've never run into a situation where the the chicks went into the cave and the heating pad wasn't warm enough.   

How many chicks do you think one heating pad would accommodate

 

[lazy gardener]

I have put up to 22 under an extra large (12 x 24) But they didn't stay there for very long. It seems that they'd rather abandon the cave when the clutch is too big to comfortably fit in it. This spring, I had 18 under XL. they abandoned it before I thought they were really ready, so I improvised by propping the back end up on a nesting shelf that was about 5" high, and propping the front on a couple of bricks. that gave a larger foot print, and they settled back under it for an other week or so.

 

[aart]

How many chicks do you think one heating pad would accommodate

I had 15 under a 12x24, by the time they out grew it at about 3-4 weeks, they were pretty well feathered out and the weather was warmer.
Where you live so close to the equator, you should be fine any time of year.
If you have more than 15-20 chicks, you can get a second pad and make the frame 12x48.