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

[AllynTal]

Where is it for $15!? I bought mine at CVS a year ago for like $40

of course CVS is like the most expensive place to go but it's like 2 minutes from our house and the one I got on Amazon broke

I got this one:

at Wallyworld for $15. It's the Sunbeam model 732-500. It has the slide-button control instead of the digital control. I like the slide-button control better because if the power goes out, the pad comes back on when the electricity is restored. The digital-controlled pads have to be manually turned back on. If you aren't there (or are asleep) when the power comes back on, the pad is off and the chicks will be cold. Also, this model has the 'moist heat' option. You don't need moist heat, but the fact that it can accommodate moist heat means that it'll be okay if the pad gets wet.

Or maybe just put all three heating pads on one long tunnel (and when I say "tunnel" I do understand that it will be flattened at first, then raised as the chicks grow) and let them all crowd under there together? Hubby built me a nice big brooder on our back porch and I don't really want to divide it up...

I don't mean a tunnel shape with a flat ceiling. I'm talking about a straight, flat ceiling without bending the ends of the frame down on the sides. More along the lines of this setup posted by dyorto in post #3638:


That's a piece of wire closet shelving. If you make your shelving longer, you can lash more than one heating pad on the underside of the shelf. It makes a long, flat ceiling and any chick underneath the pad has to navigate no more than 6 inches to get out from under it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Where is it for $15!? I bought mine at CVS a year ago for like $40

of course CVS is like the most expensive place to go but it's like 2 minutes from our house and the one I got on Amazon broke

I got this one: at Wallyworld for $15. It's the Sunbeam model 732-500. It has the slide-button control instead of the digital control. I like the slide-button control better because if the power goes out, the pad comes back on when the electricity is restored. The digital-controlled pads have to be manually turned back on. If you aren't there (or are asleep) when the power comes back on, the pad is off and the chicks will be cold. Also, this model has the 'moist heat' option. You don't need moist heat, but the fact that it can accommodate moist heat means that it'll be okay if the pad gets wet.

Or maybe just put all three heating pads on one long tunnel (and when I say "tunnel" I do understand that it will be flattened at first, then raised as the chicks grow) and let them all crowd under there together? Hubby built me a nice big brooder on our back porch and I don't really want to divide it up...

I don't mean a tunnel shape with a flat ceiling. I'm talking about a straight, flat ceiling without bending the ends of the frame down on the sides. More along the lines of this setup posted by dyorto in post #3638: That's a piece of wire closet shelving. If you make your shelving longer, you can lash more than one heating pad on the underside of the shelf. It makes a long, flat ceiling and any chick underneath the pad has to navigate no more than 6 inches to get out from under it.

Wow that's great! I got the XPress heat one because I thought I had to but I maybe I will have to look for that one

 

[AllynTal]

Wow that's great! I got the XPress heat one because I thought I had to but I maybe I will have to look for that one

You don't have to get any particular model. The salient point is that it either doesn't have auto-shutoff or the auto-shutoff can be disabled. Other than that, get whichever one has the features that suit your situation best. For me, having a pad that can come back on when power is restored and won't be ruined if it gets wet poop on it was important.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Wow that's great! I got the XPress heat one because I thought I had to but I maybe I will have to look for that one

You don't have to get any particular model. The salient point is that it either doesn't have auto-shutoff or the auto-shutoff can be disabled. Other than that, get whichever one has the features that suit your situation best. For me, having a pad that can come back on when power is restored and won't be ruined if it gets wet poop on it was important.

That makes sense. I think at the time when I was first joining it was still being established whether it would work and I think one of the points was less adjustable heat but it's good to know that it has sense been tested more and works fine. And the wet poop part is important since I might get ducks next.

Although I have a question, isn't the XPress heat machine washable? So wouldn't that imply that it could handle water too? Or not while plugged in?

 

[AllynTal]

That makes sense. I think at the time when I was first joining it was still being established whether it would work and I think one of the points was less adjustable heat but it's good to know that it has sense been tested more and works fine. And the wet poop part is important since I might get ducks next.

Although I have a question, isn't the XPress heat machine washable? So wouldn't that imply that it could handle water too? Or not while plugged in?

I'm sure it isn't washable while plugged in. I don't know much about the XPress pad. Is the pad washable or is the cover washable? Folks that use that pad will have to answer that.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That makes sense. I think at the time when I was first joining it was still being established whether it would work and I think one of the points was less adjustable heat but it's good to know that it has sense been tested more and works fine. And the wet poop part is important since I might get ducks next.


Although I have a question, isn't the XPress heat machine washable? So wouldn't that imply that it could handle water too? Or not while plugged in?

I'm sure it isn't washable while plugged in. I don't know much about the XPress pad. Is the pad washable or is the cover washable? Folks that use that pad will have to answer that.

Very true! And I think the entire pad is washable. It says you unplug the wire part from the pad and can then wash it

 

[AllynTal]

Very true! And I think the entire pad is washable. It says you unplug the wire part from the pad and can then wash it

Okay, then there ya go. The Sunbeam model I showed in my post has a removeable cloth cover that can be thrown in the washer and a foam moist-heat pad. The heating part of the pad is encased in waterproof plastic. I remove the cloth cover and the moist-heat foam and leave them in the box so all I use is the plastic-encased heating pad.

This is the underside of the shelf. (The lashings are spaced too far apart. This pic was just to demonstrate how to lash the pad to the wire shelf and I only had a short piece of twine. In actual use, I'd have a long piece of twine and make the lashings much closer together.)


This is the top of the shelf. I put the whole thing into a pillow case and then put a towel on top. The next time I hatch and brooder, I'll do as someone suggested here and use puppy pee-pads for the top of the HP. That's a brilliant idea.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Very true! And I think the entire pad is washable. It says you unplug the wire part from the pad and can then wash it

Okay, then there ya go. The Sunbeam model I showed in my post has a removeable cloth cover that can be thrown in the washer and a foam moist-heat pad. The heating part of the pad is encased in waterproof plastic. I remove the cloth cover and the moist-heat foam and leave them in the box so all I use is the plastic-encased heating pad.

Ohh okay that makes sense. They both seem good then. I'm not sure the XPress heat is safe plugged in though? Sounds like yours is but mine might still need waterproofing?

Also can you use either for plants?

We got some herbs a couple weeks ago and I planted them maybe over a week ago and they still haven't sprouted yet

They are in a sunny spot but it was really warm in the room when I put them there (heat was broken lol) but the heat has since fixed itself so now it's cold out there again so I'm assuming that's why.

I am hoping they aren't dead?

If I warm them up will they still sprout and grow?

I should clarify I mean real herbs not weed or anything LOL

We got these kits at TSC that were on sale. It is Parsley, Basil, and I think Chives?

Got 2 of them.

I really want the herbs to grow

 

[ShrekDawg]

Very true! And I think the entire pad is washable. It says you unplug the wire part from the pad and can then wash it

Okay, then there ya go. The Sunbeam model I showed in my post has a removeable cloth cover that can be thrown in the washer and a foam moist-heat pad. The heating part of the pad is encased in waterproof plastic. I remove the cloth cover and the moist-heat foam and leave them in the box so all I use is the plastic-encased heating pad. This is the underside of the shelf. (The lashings are spaced too far apart. This pic was just to demonstrate how to lash the pad to the wire shelf and I only had a short piece of twine. In actual use, I'd have a long piece of twine and make the lashings much closer together.) This is the top of the shelf. I put the whole thing into a pillow case and then put a towel on top. The next time I hatch and brooder, I'll do as someone suggested here and use puppy pee-pads for the top of the HP. That's a brilliant idea.

Thanks for the edit with the photos and new suggestions

 

[AllynTal]

Ohh okay that makes sense. They both seem good then. I'm not sure the XPress heat is safe plugged in though? Sounds like yours is but mine might still need waterproofing?

Also can you use either for plants?

We got some herbs a couple weeks ago and I planted them maybe over a week ago and they still haven't sprouted yet

They are in a sunny spot but it was really warm in the room when I put them there (heat was broken lol) but the heat has since fixed itself so now it's cold out there again so I'm assuming that's why.

I am hoping they aren't dead?

If I warm them up will they still sprout and grow?

I should clarify I mean real herbs not weed or anything LOL

We got these kits at TSC that were on sale. It is Parsley, Basil, and I think Chives?

Got 2 of them.

I really want the herbs to grow

I use mine to sprout peppers. I put it on low and set the plants trays on top. Peppers need a bit of warmth to germinate. You can try it with your herbs. As long as they didn't freeze, there's a chance they'll still grow. Getting cold can delay the germination process, but won't necessarily kill it. Just watch the water carefully. With the soil warm, you may need to water them more frequently or the roots will dry out.