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

[SunHwaKwon]

So I got my chicks in the mail today and they're set up with their MHP in a big cardboard box in my garage. When I put them in there I put them all underneath the MHP and they stayed there and took a nap for a bit. Then a bit later they ventured out to check out the food and water. After a while they started to huddle up by (on!) the food dish and some started to fall asleep, on the far side of the 4 ft box from the MHP. So I took them all and put them under the MHP again.

Once again they got very quiet and napped for a bit. After 4 cycles of this I'm worried that they haven't figured out to go back under the MHP on their own and sleep. It's about 58 deg in the box so it's not that they're nice and toasty without it. And it's getting down into the teens tonight so I'm concerned how this will play out. The garage will hopefully stay in the 30s as I have a couple of space heaters going; we'll see.

Has anybody else had this problem of their chicks not going under the MHP on their own? I was hoping that after a couple of times being put there that they would catch on. Any suggestions or thoughts?

Thanks

I usually block them off for a few days, with food and water pretty much right outside of the MHP.

 

[10AcreChick]

Quote:
Well, tonight when it's getting dark just shove them all under there. They at least won't come back out until it gets light again in the morning! Just make sure there are no lights on in the garage and you at least won't have to worry about them until the morning, since chickens do not move in the dark. You would be surprised how much resilient chicks raised with an MHP are, they will wander around in the cold if they have a fake mama to go back under when they get too chilled.

 

[Nathan J]

I usually block them off for a few days, with food and water pretty much right outside of the MHP.

Yeah, that seems like a good idea. Thanks.

I just put them all under MHP again, as they were huddled up against the wall and cheeping, not really eating. They quieted down in there. It's about 59 deg now in the box away from MHP and the heating pad is on Med. I don't know, they just don't get it yet, but I'll keep tryin' ta learn 'em!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Yeah, that seems like a good idea. Thanks.

I just put them all under MHP again, as they were huddled up against the wall and cheeping, not really eating. They quieted down in there. It's about 59 deg now in the box away from MHP and the heating pad is on Med. I don't know, they just don't get it yet, but I'll keep tryin' ta learn 'em!

I was thinking recently that a neat invention would be a recording of a mama hen cluck clucking that would automatically play in response to the sound of chicks crying out. Place it near the MHP and oila! lol

It's funny how some babies are hardwired to respond to certain sounds like that.

 

[Nathan J]

Well, tonight when it's getting dark just shove them all under there. They at least won't come back out until it gets light again in the morning! Just make sure there are no lights on in the garage and you at least won't have to worry about them until the morning, since chickens do not move in the dark. You would be surprised how much resilient chicks raised with an MHP are, they will wander around in the cold if they have a fake mama to go back under when they get too chilled.

Well, that's exactly what I did last night figuring exactly that, but about half of them ended up coming out, huddled up against the wall, and half were under MHP. And believe me it was pitch dark in there.

 

[Nathan J]

Oh by the way, I'm planning to move them out to a bigger brooder (about 3.5'x7') that's out in our small barn; right next to their eventual coop (still in the making). But I really want to see them understand this MHP thing before feeling confident of doing that. Though I'll probably section off a much smaller part for a while to make sure they're oriented to it, and expand the space incrementally.

I had no hard schedule in mind for that move, but was hoping for just a few days. But that's flexible.

 

[10AcreChick]

Quote:
How old are they? What do you have the heating pad set on? If it isn't hot enough, they might leave to find somewhere warmer and then get lost. I keep mine on the highest setting for the first week at least. I have four week olds outside right now and have it on the highest setting, they can choose where to go in the cave, as it is at a slant. Also, if there are a lot of them, they might be pushing each other out.

 

[Blooie]

How old are they? What do you have the heating pad set on? If it isn't hot enough, they might leave to find somewhere warmer and then get lost. I keep mine on the highest setting for the first week at least. I have four week olds outside right now and have it on the highest setting, they can choose where to go in the cave, as it is at a slant. Also, if there are a lot of them, they might be pushing each other out.

Oh my! When mine are 4 weeks old they have been off all heat for a few days and are integrated completely with the flock! At 3 weeks my heating pad is already on the lowest settings.

 

[Nathan J]

How old are they? What do you have the heating pad set on? If it isn't hot enough, they might leave to find somewhere warmer and then get lost. I keep mine on the highest setting for the first week at least. I have four week olds outside right now and have it on the highest setting, they can choose where to go in the cave, as it is at a slant. Also, if there are a lot of them, they might be pushing each other out.

They hatched on Monday. Heating pad is on Med, but that's because I was worried about them possibly being too hot before. They stay under it fine after I put them there, and get quiet for a while, napping, I suppose. So it seems that they're comfortable in there. I've put a thermometer probe under the paper towels under the MHP and it registers about 88-93 or so. That's not the intent of the MHP, I know, but it gives you an idea of the temp. And I can't imagine that it's not hot enough under there. But once they leave to eat, etc. they don't go back in. I just put them under there again a bit ago and they're quietly napping.

There are 16 of them and I'm using the 12x24 heating pad with a cooling rack. So it's plenty big, for sure. And the height seems to be just right.

 

[Nathan J]

Actually re: the height I've got it slanted from front to back. So the opening is plenty wide and it goes down towards the back so they can find the area that's just right for them. I've also got it slightly bowed from side to side for the same reason. All in all I can't see the construction being the problem.