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

[okie-chick93]

When can I move my babies out with my adult birds? My husband is furious about the giant burn in our carpet and I've heard multiple things about when I can move them out there. I have a couple questions about it too. If someone could private msg me I would appreciate it

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
FWIW, I used the heat lamp ONLY once, and overheated the chicks while trying to regulate it, swore never to do it again. So I got a Brinsea heating plate. It was ok, but the chicks didn't seem all that naturally comfortable under it, and when I held my hand on it, it was REALLY HOT - like, almost burned my hand. Worked ok for some fully feathered chicks, but the only Naked Necks I tried to raise with the heating plate outright REFUSED to use it, and huddled elsewhere to sleep (it was a big group, enough for body heat in a puppy pile since it wasn't cold where they were) - I didn't see burns, but perhaps they were uncomfortable as you indicate. I gave up on the heating plate when I first tried the MHP and saw how well it worked. The chicks are better insulated from the heat surface, and I also think it's a more natural environment - they seem calmer than with the heating plate (maybe because two sides are closed?). Gave the heating plates away, will never use them again. JMHO.

- Ant Farm

 

[lpyrbby]

FWIW, I used the heat lamp ONLY once, and overheated the chicks while trying to regulate it, swore never to do it again. So I got a Brinsea heating plate. It was ok, but the chicks didn't seem all that naturally comfortable under it, and when I held my hand on it, it was REALLY HOT - like, almost burned my hand. Worked ok for some fully feathered chicks, but the only Naked Necks I tried to raise with the heating plate outright REFUSED to use it, and huddled elsewhere to sleep (it was a big group, enough for body heat in a puppy pile since it wasn't cold where they were) - I didn't see burns, but perhaps they were uncomfortable as you indicate. I gave up on the heating plate when I first tried the MHP and saw how well it worked. The chicks are better insulated from the heat surface, and I also think it's a more natural environment - they seem calmer than with the heating plate (maybe because two sides are closed?). Gave the heating plates away, will never use them again. JMHO.

- Ant Farm

I will use them again straight out of the incubator, but long term with naked necks, I don't see it being a good idea. Not all of them had the burn blisters, but at least 3 of them have them, that I can remember. Might be a couple more but there are so many that they may just be blending, in my memory.

I just went to check on them again and not a peep. I can see 2 of the 18 just on the edge of the MHP when I peek in. I'm calling that a win I cannot WAIT to go sit with them for a little while tomorrow.

 

[aart]

I have (2) 12 x 24 pads set up being used by 46 chicks.

Think I asked before...do not remember a response....do you have them set up as a contiguous space or somewhat separated?
Would love to see pics...maybe I missed pics too?

Quote: You can use a dimmer extension cord in the heat plates to ramp down the surface heat.
In the UK they sell a rheostat(not available here), folks here have use the dimmer cord successfully.
Have seen some burned chicks, bare skin on CX wings, I another thread.

 

[Blooie]

Think I asked before...do not remember a response....do you have them set up as a contiguous space or somewhat separated?
Would love to see pics...maybe I missed pics too?

You can use a dimmer extension cord in the heat plates to ramp down the surface heat.
In the UK they sell a rheostat(not available here), folks here have use the dimmer cord successfully.
Have seen some burned chicks, bare skin on CX wings, I another thread.

I know we also discussed it for a couple of pages here too, @aart

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update/8820

That's why I asked about the Naked Necks. Apparently it's a known issue with the Premier plates, the manufacturer has acknowledged it, but says that since they were made for the European market, we have to take steps and buy a controller of some kind to regulate it. Say what?? That was the gist of the posts anyway.

 

[azygous]

Regarding the possibility of chicks burning themselves on heat plates when they have no down or feathering on their necks - those surfaces do get very warm, and heating pads without a cloth cover do, too. Some pages back Blooie posted a scary report that chicks feet were burned off by walking on a heating pad. I suspected, if the story was true, the heating pad had no cloth cover and if the chicks did get foot burns, that was the reason.

I'm thinking the same thing could apply to a heat plate. It would seem to me that if you were to cover the bottom side of the heat plate with cloth, it would diffuse the heat and the naked neck chicks would not be in any danger of getting burned further. And it's well to caution folks that these heating pads shouldn't be used on chicks without a cloth of some sort separating them from the plastic surface of the heating pad, which can get hot enough to burn even human skin let alone very thin baby chick skin.

 

[HeatherBelle]

Following - Such a fantastic thread!

 

[Blooie]

Let me correct that... I didn't report that chicks had burned their feet off on the heating pad, but was merely relating an exchange here that was on the BYC Facebook page. Someone had cautioned folks against using MHP and that was what she said was what had happened. Then another man chimed in on a different post and said he had heard that chicks had their feet burned as well. I asked here if anyone had ever heard that kind of hooey with MHP.

 

[casportpony]

I did a second heat test experiment with my EcoGlow 50 where I raised the ambient temp in the house to about 80 degrees, then placed the plate on the hardwood floor with the distance between floor and plate at about 2". After it had been sitting for about an hour I measured the surface temp and there were some spots that were 165 degrees F.

 

[lpyrbby]

I know we also discussed it for a couple of pages here too, @aart

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update/8820

That's why I asked about the Naked Necks. Apparently it's a known issue with the Premier plates, the manufacturer has acknowledged it, but says that since they were made for the European market, we have to take steps and buy a controller of some kind to regulate it. Say what?? That was the gist of the posts anyway.

What's interesting is the heat plate I have is made my Titan Incubators. They're out of the UK I believe, so that is pretty interesting their position on it.

Regarding the possibility of chicks burning themselves on heat plates when they have no down or feathering on their necks - those surfaces do get very warm, and heating pads without a cloth cover do, too. Some pages back Blooie posted a scary report that chicks feet were burned off by walking on a heating pad. I suspected, if the story was true, the heating pad had no cloth cover and if the chicks did get foot burns, that was the reason.

I'm thinking the same thing could apply to a heat plate. It would seem to me that if you were to cover the bottom side of the heat plate with cloth, it would diffuse the heat and the naked neck chicks would not be in any danger of getting burned further. And it's well to caution folks that these heating pads shouldn't be used on chicks without a cloth of some sort separating them from the plastic surface of the heating pad, which can get hot enough to burn even human skin let alone very thin baby chick skin.

If I were the creative sort, I'd try to figure out how to fashion something that would work

Now that the in-coop brooder is done, I don't plan on using anything but my MHP contraption over the long term. I'll use the heat plate when hatching and moving to the brooder before going outside, but optimistically, that'll be temporary.