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

[myfivegirls]

I brooded quite a few large hatches last year with MPH, then later mixed ages. Don't remember exact #s, but at least 25, but went up to well over 40, yet different ages. But used 2 heating pads
One group (in July?) was like 75, but only had those for a few weeks but when small they fit under 1 big one & a few snuggled under the 2nd small heating pad.

 

[Dmontgomery]

I think my biggest brood was 22.  Maybe 29?  I forget.  My frame was curved, so not as much available space under it as yours.  I'll need to use both pads this spring, as I'm getting chicks through mail, and hatching some extras (I think.)

So was your MHP the "cave" type like the one Blooie wrote about? I'm thinking about possibly, maybe considering, if I might want to make one flat so they can come and go from any side. Then making one end lower than the other so they can actually have contact with the pad or just be underneath. Our spring temperatures are fairly mild. Last year, by the 4th week, I was trying to find ways to cool them off in the brooder, rather than warm them up.

 

[casportpony]

I think my biggest brood was 22.  Maybe 29?  I forget.  My frame was curved, so not as much available space under it as yours.  I'll need to use both pads this spring, as I'm getting chicks through mail, and hatching some extras (I think.)

So was your MHP the "cave" type like the one Blooie wrote about? I'm thinking about possibly, maybe considering, if I might want to make one flat so they can come and go from any side. Then making one end lower than the other so they can actually have contact with the pad or just be underneath. Our spring temperatures are fairly mild. Last year, by the 4th week, I was trying to find ways to cool them off in the brooder, rather than warm them up.

Funny, I was just thinking about making a flat one like you described, and was wondering how well it would work.

-Kathy

 

[aart]

Quote: Funny, I was just thinking about making a flat one like you described, and was wondering how well it would work.

-Kathy
IMO Flat's where it's at - haha!!
As I was emulating the Brinsea and Sweeter Heater type brooder/heating plates
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate
Makes more sense to me than a curved cave type....
.....a towel can be used, as LG mentions above, to enclose and battle breezes if necessary.

 

[Blooie]

So was your MHP the "cave" type like the one Blooie wrote about? I'm thinking about possibly, maybe considering, if I might want to make one flat so they can come and go from any side. Then making one end lower than the other so they can actually have contact with the pad or just be underneath. Our spring temperatures are fairly mild. Last year, by the 4th week, I was trying to find ways to cool them off in the brooder, rather than warm them up.

Funny, I was just thinking about making a flat one like you described, and was wondering how well it would work.

-Kathy

@Dmontgomery Your post is exactly what many people have done and they like how it works. Rather than use the "cave" configuration, they leave it flatter and open, either on both ends or on all sides, with maybe a little overhang to help hold in some of the heat and give them that feeling of being "under" something. I still use the complete cave, simply because it's still pretty cold here in chick season and I brood outdoors in the run, and haven't had any issues. I darn sure wouldn't use that stuck trapped behind those hogging up the front and not be able to get out and cool off a little. As long as part of the frame is low enough to come to the chicks' backs, the open concept is working for a lot of folks.

I have changed over to strapping the heating pad up under the frame rather than draping it over the top after a couple of members of the Broody Brigade had chicks that got trapped between the pad and the wire of the frame. I never had an issue with that, but I'm learning here as I go along too and it just made so much sense to avoid rather than react after the fact. I wish I could edit the into post to reflect that, but it's just too old now. I do refer people to Bee's post about how to do that now, and hope that is enough.

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

@casportpony I think that if you do it this way, you will be pretty happy with it, especially for larger numbers of chicks. The most I've ever had at one time is 15.

 

[lazy gardener]

Quote: Blooie, I also put my pad UNDER the frame. I then enclose the entire thing in a pillow case that I sewed to fit the frame/pad, and THEN wrap that whole package with painters tape. (I've found that sticks to fabric the best. That keeps the pillow case from hammocking down on the underside and giving them opportunity to get stuck in wrinkles. One year, I used electrical tape b/c I had a roll laying around, and after a few days, the fabric separated from the tape providing "option #38 in the list of "creative ways for a chick to commit suicide." When doing morning roll call, one of the little buggers was missing. Totally disappeared! I started digging through the bedding, nothing! Looked under the feeder, nothing! Finally I flipped the cave over, and there was a baby, hanging by her wings from that electrical tape. Extracting her was an adventure. She was like the Tar Baby of Bre'er Rabbit fame. As soon as I got a wing unstuck, she'd stick a foot, as soon as I got a foot and the other wing un stuck, she'd get her head and an other foot stuck! She survived. An other issue I've had was chicks climbing up inside the pillow case. Now that pillow case is completely sealed.

 

[casportpony]

 

 

I think my biggest brood was 22.  Maybe 29?  I forget.  My frame was curved, so not as much available space under it as yours.  I'll need to use both pads this spring, as I'm getting chicks through mail, and hatching some extras (I think.)

So was your MHP the "cave" type like the one Blooie wrote about? I'm thinking about possibly, maybe considering, if I might want to make one flat so they can come and go from any side. Then making one end lower than the other so they can actually have contact with the pad or just be underneath. Our spring temperatures are fairly mild. Last year, by the 4th week, I was trying to find ways to cool them off in the brooder, rather than warm them up.

Funny, I was just thinking about making a flat one like you described, and was wondering how well it would work.


-Kathy

 IMO  Flat's where it's at - haha!! 
As I was emulating the Brinsea and Sweeter Heater type brooder/heating plates
 https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate
Makes more sense to me than a curved cave type....
.....a towel can be used, as LG mentions above, to enclose and battle breezes if necessary. 

I quite like the one in your article, and maybe I'll try to do something like that, though I will probably have to get real creative on the legs because I use mine mainly for peachicks, and they are close to 200 grams by the time they are 2-3 weeks old. any suggestion on how to go about making the legs super adjustable?

-Kathy

 

[Molpet]

I quite like the one in your article, and maybe I'll try to do something like that, though I will probably have to get real creative on the legs because I use mine mainly for peachicks, and they are close to 200 grams by the time they are 2-3 weeks old. any suggestion on how to go about making the legs super adjustable?

-Kathy


-Kathy

some one used althread rod through the frame and nuts on either side of the frame to hold at the desired height , super adjustable

 

[casportpony]

I quite like the one in your article, and maybe I'll try to do something like that, though I will probably have to get real creative on the legs because I use mine mainly for peachicks, and they are close to 200 grams by the time they are 2-3 weeks old. any suggestion on how to go about making the legs super adjustable?


-Kathy



-Kathy

some one used althread rod through the frame and nuts on either side of the frame to hold at the desired height , super adjustable

Great idea, thanks!

-Kathy

 

[aart]

Quote: Great idea, thanks!

-Kathy
Exactly.....I used carriage bolts because it's what I had, can't remember length, had a couple different lengths.
Bolts not long enough, threaded rod would work, make them the length you want, still only need the tnuts to hold them.