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

[FlyWheel]

Do get too worried about the thermometer readings...they are good for reference but going by the chicks behaviors is better.
ETA: Oh, substitute 'MHP' for 'lamp' in my blurb below.
The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

I would think that the proper temperature setting of the MHP pad, seeing as it is supposed to be a surrogate for an actual mother hen, would be the normal body temperature of a broody hen.

 

[aart]

Quote: Nothing wrong with using a thermometer too, I often still do just for curiosity's sake.

Quote: Problem is with the MHP it's hard to measure temps on/under it....would be hard to measure temps on a hen too, in order to truly emulate her 'heat'.... LOL!
Chickens internal body temp is something like 106F...but who know's what it is on her skin, amongst her feathers, etc.
My pad measured about 110F on the surface, metal rack got hotter than that...I tried measuring at several levels below the pad and finally gave it up, went by behavior.

 

[Victoria-nola]

Yes Ainee, I was testing the temp at different settings and 93 is probably still a little warm considering 8 chicks would be under the MHP. It has been so warm here thus far for September. I was checking the weather for the next 2 weeks and it looks like the day they arrive it will be 70's daytime and upper 50's at night.

I am thinking one of the advantages of using the MHP in conjunction with a larger space in the coop is the ability for the chicks to move away from the heat source and if need be lounge near it. I am excited to try this out.

Are your chicks still using the MHP?

The point of the MHP is that it is quite warm right next to the pad and less warm away. It's supposed to be low enough that the hatchlings can rub their backs up against the pad, or lay flatter and get away from it. Plus they can move closer or farther away from the doorway. They absolutely will move in and out, but it's really important to have underneath the pad be quite warm for their first few days. They'll hang out on top of it when they need less heat, and dive underneath to get warmed again. Be sure to check the temps underneath on the day they arrive if the ambient temp is different from today's, because the ambient temp affects the temp underneath. I have a remote sensing temp gauge and I just left the sensor under the MHP to one side, on the bedding.

Do you want to know that it is recommended to use hay or straw for bedding for guinea keets initially because they are known to eat pine shavings? Those are pine, correct, and not cedar? Cedar is dangerous in its own right and shouldn't be used with birds.

 

[jeapa]

The point of the MHP is that it is quite warm right next to the pad and less warm away.  It's supposed to be low enough that the hatchlings can rub their backs up against the pad, or lay flatter and get away from it. Plus they can move closer or farther away from the doorway.  They absolutely will move in and out, but it's really important to have underneath the pad be quite warm for their first few days.  They'll hang out on top of it when they need less heat, and dive underneath to get warmed again.  Be sure to check the temps underneath on the day they arrive if the ambient temp is different from today's, because the ambient temp affects the temp underneath.  I have a remote sensing temp gauge and I just left the sensor under the MHP to one side, on the bedding. 

Do you want to know that it is recommended to use hay or straw for bedding for guinea keets initially because they are known to eat pine shavings?  Those are pine, correct, and not cedar?  Cedar is dangerous in its own right and shouldn't be used with birds.

Thanks Victoria . Those are pine flakes and I am raising chicks. I will be sure and keep an eye on the temp.

 

[Victoria-nola]

Quote:
Oh, I'm sorry I got confused. Looks good!
--V

 

[Blooie]

Welcome to the new members of the Broody Brigade. Been out of town on a wonderful adventure for a few days, and once again you all just step right up to answer questions and reassure folks!

 

[nikkers390]

"The more I watch those babies outside perfectly happy, the more I think we backyard chicken folks have been sold a bill of goods with the whole "needs a heat lamp" and "95 degrees for the first week" thing. Because no. And not true. "


This is one of the things I can really get heated up about, pardon the pun. And most people readily and eagerly accept the heat guide as scripture. Just watch day-olds romping around an outdoor pen on a 60F day, not spending much time near the heat source. People have a need to follow specific directions because they doubt their own powers of observation and ability to make judgement calls when this would be the better approach to judging the heat requirements of their chicks in their own individual situation.

I partially agree with you. I start my chicks in the house. Mainly because I can monitor their feeding and growth easily. I used to use a heat lamp. I was not at all happy nor were my chicks. I then used the heating pad and was much happier and the chicks thrived. By observation I found the chicks knew what they needed. For the first couple of days in the brooder, I left the heater on 24 hours. The chicks spent a good portion of the day under the pad. Coming out to eat and drink. After the 2nd day, I would turn the heat to medium and the chicks spent more time out in the brooder eating, going under the heater mainly at night. By one week, the heater was off all day and on med only at night. In this way, they were quickly weaned from artificial heat. After 1 week, they were transferred to an outside brooder. The heater on med only at night and the chicks grew and thrived. Most of their time was spent eating or hanging out on top of the pad. By the end of week 2 they were transferred to a larger brooder, no artificial heat and only a cozy box with shaving for night time huddling. This has worked for me but I am in SW FL and I brooded the chicks in April/May with night time temps 55-65 degrees. It is a lot warmer in the day. This works for me. I found the chicks feathered out quicker when weaned quickly from artificial heat. They were active, hungry and grew and feathered quickly. I found this an improvement over any chicks raised in a brooder under a heat lamp. When I hear people say they keep their chicks under lights in the house for 6 weeks, I can only shake my head and wonder why. That is an incredible mess and way too much like work.
That's my experience. It may not work for everyone, but yes, chicks are a lot more resilient than many folks give them credit for.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I partially agree with you. I start my chicks in the house. Mainly because I can monitor their feeding and growth easily. I used to use a heat lamp. I was not at all happy nor were my chicks. I then used the heating pad and was much happier and the chicks thrived. By observation I found the chicks knew what they needed. For the first couple of days in the brooder, I left the heater on 24 hours. The chicks spent a good portion of the day under the pad. Coming out to eat and drink. After the 2nd day, I would turn the heat to medium and the chicks spent more time out in the brooder eating, going under the heater mainly at night. By one week, the heater was off all day and on med only at night. In this way, they were quickly weaned from artificial heat. After 1 week, they were transferred to an outside brooder. The heater on med only at night and the chicks grew and thrived. Most of their time was spent eating or hanging out on top of the pad. By the end of week 2 they were transferred to a larger brooder, no artificial heat and only a cozy box with shaving for night time huddling. This has worked for me but I am in SW FL and I brooded the chicks in April/May with night time temps 55-65 degrees. It is a lot warmer in the day. This works for me. I found the chicks feathered out quicker when weaned quickly from artificial heat. They were active, hungry and grew and feathered quickly. I found this an improvement over any chicks raised in a brooder under a heat lamp. When I hear people say they keep their chicks under lights in the house for 6 weeks, I can only shake my head and wonder why.  That is an incredible mess and way too much like work.
That's my experience. It may not work for everyone, but yes, chicks are a lot more resilient than many folks give them credit for. :yiipchick

X2

The heat lamp in the house thing for 6-8 weeks is silly and doesn't benefit you or the bird.

I follow the same schedule as you do and feel it's ideal and better for the birds.

 

[jeapa]

I have no clue how to brood a chick in the house... I grew up on a small farm and our chickens took care of raising their chicks without too much help from us.

I came here 4 years ago looking for advice after being away from raising chickens for most of my adult life and I was so lost reading all the posts about brooding in totes, high wattage heat lamps, ect... Lucky for my chicks I found the old timers thread and realized my instinct to start them in the coop wasn't absolutely nuts.

This MHP sounds like the next best thing to a broody hen and I am looking forward to seeing how this group of chicks grows in what I believe will be a much more natural environment .

Thanks to all of the experienced members for sharing their advice and chicken knowledge. I have learned so much from reading threads like these.

 

[3riverschick]

I have no clue how to brood a chick in the house... I grew up on a small farm and our chickens took care of raising their chicks without too much help from us.

I came here 4 years ago looking for advice after being away from raising chickens for most of my adult life and I was so lost reading all the posts about brooding in totes, high wattage heat lamps, ect... Lucky for my chicks I found the old timers thread and realized my instinct to start them in the coop wasn't absolutely nuts.

This MHP sounds like the next best thing to a broody hen and I am looking forward to seeing how this group of chicks grows in what I believe will be a much more natural environment .

Thanks to all of the experienced members for sharing their advice and chicken knowledge. I have learned so much from reading threads like these.

Oh you are so right. I just cringe when I read about folks brooding their birds in the house! Oh yuck, yuck! When that chick down starts to fly it just covers everything in a fine dust. Ladies, that isn't dust in your house where the birds are that's baby chicken feathers!! In the bedroom? Oh no! All those baby feathers on one's bed and pillow. No wonder listers posted about allergies when they were brooding chicks in their bedrooms! They were breathing baby chicken feather dust when sleeping at night! In the other parts of the house? In the kitchen on your food and utensils. In the living room where your children play? I did it once and never again in the house. What a nightmare.
Plus, this chick down cannot be wiped up with a cloth. That just scatters it. It must be wet wiped down. Every surface, every crack. How many of those nooks does one have in the room they are brooding in?
Yuck,
Karen