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

[bruceha2000]

Good morning! I just wanted to come on here to post something amazing! Well...in my mind, anyway

Last spring I brooded my babies with the heating pad, but in the house because the coop wasn't built. Then a couple of weeks ago, I realized we were going to have some unplanned babies hatch...in November...in Massachusetts! I started reading, and reminding myself that mama can do it, and the heating pad was my trial run and proof!
I brought them all inside last week for the hatch. This weekend she hatched out four little sweeties!

Last night, I moved them back out to the coop (safely tucked away with mama in a crate), and then tried not to fret as the temperature dipped into the 20's. When I went out this morning, everyone was fine and running around, cheep-cheeping

Many people I know tried to scare me out of mooving them out there. Those same people freaked out when I didn't use a heat lamp with my first babies! This thread gave me the confidence to just let them be, and let mama do it! Thanks so much for all your advice!!!

Um, where do "these people" THINK a hen raises her babies? In the spare bedroom? Sheesh. Good on you for ignoring them.

Curious as to why you brought the hen inside to hatch her eggs.

I love the MHP ideas! Next time we raise chicks, This will definitely be used! I only started reading this thread yesterday and am on, like, page 20. I want to read the whole thing!

You will be needing your heating pad for your sore butt before your chicks arrive from sitting long enough to read over 7,800 posts!

 

[Faraday40]

You will be needing your heating pad for your sore butt before your chicks arrive from sitting long enough to read over 7,800 posts!

so true!

 

[FlyWheel]

I love the MHP ideas! Next time we raise chicks, This will definitely be used! I only started reading this thread yesterday and am on, like, page 20. I want to read the whole thing!

You will be needing your heating pad for your sore butt before your chicks arrive from sitting long enough to read over 7,800 posts!
7,800? Hey Blooie, I think...well you know.

 

[azygous]

On March 18, 2015, I commented :

"I have a hunch this thread will rival most of the longest lived threads on BYC. This concept has the potential to revolutionize backyard chicken management, in my opinion ."

And here we are, going on two years and this thread has almost always remained on the first page of this forum!

Was I ever right, or what?"

I think we should party.

 

[Blooie]

Ooh, a party!!!! I'll bring the chislic and beer!

In all seriousness, I never dreamed in a million trillion gazillion years that this thread would end up like @FlyWheel 's post! And when I read @azygous comment way back then I thought, "I've seen a ton of threads on here that start out like wildfire and then I have to hunt like crazy to find them again later." I can't even being to list the people who have made it work. It's all of you. The tone of the posts is the key, I think. The good humor, the concern when something doesn't seem to work right, the gentle steering away from ideas that just aren't close to the way MHP is supposed to be implemented, the interesting engineering concepts, and even the more firm responses......this thread works because we won't have it any other way. If I'm not on here, I don't have to worry - there are plenty of folks who take up the slack.

And it's funny because it's so seasonal. This thread wakes up in the spring - sometimes I can't keep up! Then in summer it's all the stories from people who tried it and are excited to share what the outcome was. And the photos - oh, the priceless photos!!! In fall we get to see and hear about pullets that are rewarding with first eggs and the posts are dwindling down a bit into winter. Then along comes chick ordering and planning time and it seems to revive!!

I think in the lifetime of this thread there have been two snarky responses to others, and I made them both.

One was a response to the lady who said putting chicks in this system was like putting them in a giant MRI and she was dead set against it. Well, then don't come to a Mama Heating Pad thread if you don't like the idea. The second was from someone who talked and talked but never seem to get anything done, while in the meantime the chicks were paying the price. Well, that's what the "block" feature is for. I don't know if it's because true haters of the system read the friendly posts and decide not to express their concerns publicly or what, but I seem to get a lot of PMs from them, which I read and then happily delete, especially the ones that come right out and say, "You are going to be responsible for killing so many chicks". This thread is about Mama Heating Pad....if you love heat lamps, that's just great - we all have our preferences and there are even some situations where I don't recommend MHP at all. But trying to toss a wet blanket on this forest fire ain't gonna work!

We owe so much to people like @Beekissed and Patrice Lopatin. They are the ones who knew there had to be a better way and I just took their ideas, used them, and put them in one place to share an alternative. Then you all took over and made it what it is. I am so blessed to know you all, and love meeting new people who come in with their "enthusiastic uncertainty". I know that's a bit of an oxymoron, but can you think of a phrase that fits better?

Now, who is bringing the margaritas???

 

[azygous]

A party requires Blooie dancing on the table with her skirts held high and defiant!

Just don't ask her to sing.

 

[Blooie]

Yep please don't ask me to sing! But if I'm gonna dance on the table I'm gonna need a bigger table so my walker won't fall off the edge! Here, hold my margarita and watch this......

 

[azygous]

A chicken on your head would also be a nice touch.

You know. If it's to be a real party.

 

[Victoria-nola]

Yep please don't ask me to sing! But if I'm gonna dance on the table I'm gonna need a bigger table so my walker won't fall off the edge! Here, hold my margarita and watch this......

I'll hold your margarita while you dance to beat the band!



I am giggling along with these wonderful celebratory posts. And well done and well deserved!!! This method worked for me for chicks that were joining an established flock. My flock is completely integrated, they roost intermixed. The 5 young hens are all laying. And, we chose a new rooster from the new batch and all the girls like him, much more relaxed chicken flock now. I would not choose the old way ever again.

I also used it for guinea keets, from eggs I bought and incubated to start a new flock entirely. So in this case we used MHP on the porch and then moved it to their intermediate housing while we finished their big coop-- so there was no integration issue, but they are so vigorous and healthy. The guineas as comfortable with us and are serving us well with insect control and entertainment. They have grown into a functional flock in excellent health. They also have learned what "Go inside" means and will often go to their coop if I make the suggestion (in response to having put fresh food in or, if it's raining and they look confused).

In other words, this method is the shizzle!!!

--V

 

[csneill]

I used this method last spring for 2 different groups of chicks. Loved it as compared to the heat lamp in the brooder in my basement the year before which was just a mess. I stay subscribed to this thread cuz I just get such a kick out of it- all the info & ideas & pictures! Thanks so much to all of you folks who have fine tuned the set up & have given so much advice!