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

[kesrchicky16]

Okay, I did find something that will get you started anyway. The poster in this section was asking about meat birds, and their heat requirements are a little different but that doesn't change the "hows" and "whys" of using MHP - they pretty much self adjust. These pages discuss how to set up multiple pads. The most I've used it for is 17 or 19 (can't remember which now) so I just used the large Sunbeam pad, which is 12X24. I think @lazy gardener has raised larger broods under MHP - maybe she'll pop in and offer her expertise. In the meantime, here's the link to those pages of the thread. It's a starting place, anyway.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/page-995

In answer to @NNYchick - and I apologize for missing your post before now - for 12 bantams I think what you have will be fine....pushing it a little maybe but they only really use it for a couple of weeks before they are spending more time on top than underneath. Personally I'd feel more comfortable using the larger pad longer term, but for the first few days the pad I use in the house is the smaller pad, the one you have. (I always keep them in the house for a day or so when they first hatch or arrive so I know they are eating, drinking, know where to get warm, and aren't suffering any shipping or hatching stress, then outside they go) For my first batch of Mama Heating Pad chicks, the smaller pad was all I had at the time, and they did just fine....I think there were 10 standard sized chicks.....

Wow! Yes I hasnt made it to page 900 yet! Thanks for the cliff notes.

 

[Blooie]

Happy to help. I know there's another series of pages with a slightly different setup, but darned if I can remember who posted it so it's making it harder to search.

 

[lazy gardener]

I think @lazy gardener has raised larger broods under MHP - maybe she'll pop in and offer her expertise.

Thanks, Blooie. I have no expertise to offer. But, last season, I did raise 48 chicks with MHP system. I believe it was @duluthralphie who tried a double MHP, and had some chicks get stuck in the middle and perhaps die b/c they may have gotten overheated. ((2) 12 x 24 pads set to make a 24 x 24 footprint) (It may have been someone else.) So, based on that information, I first tried setting up the 2 XL Sunbeam in a L shape. That was a total bust. So, I put the 2 pads parallel to each other, with a space of about 4" between them. It worked like a charm. There was enough sq. inches total between the 2 pads to get the whole job done, yet, the chicks viewed the 2 pads as a single brooder area, b/c they were in close proximity to each other. The alley way between the 2 pads allowed chicks to squirt out through that area as well as the other sides of each of the 12 x 24 pads. If I had separated the pads into 2 distinct areas, the chicks would have all chosen one pad, and tried to fit under that, and left the other pad unpopulated.

 

[kesrchicky16]

Ok I guess I have 1 other math related guidance question. I was told the 1/4, 1/2, 1 ... sq ft per bird per week. Is it realistic to let them get a little bigger in small area? Math says they outgrow the porch with power in 2 weeks. 4 weeks would put us back in a warm spell.
Personally my flock is kept in 2 sq ft coop and 3 sq ft run per bird but they do free range 95% of the days. Locked up from 1 hour pre dark to 4 hours after sun up.

 

[Blooie]

I wish this new platform had a better way to search a thread using keywords. <sigh> Just as you were posting about Ralphie, I was thinking it was @Fire Ant Farm, LG.

I can't answer your last question, @kesrchicky16 ... there are so many variables. Remember that MHP takes up a good amount of space in the brooder to start with. Depending on your setup, you're going to lose as much as 2 sq ft just in the pad and cave. It's one of the disadvantages of this method - a lamp is suspended, a heating pad cave isn't, so it takes some floor space away from the chicks. Have you considered raising them outside from the start? You don't have your general location listed so it's hard to know what your overall outdoor temperatures are ranging. I raised mine outside and many of us do...

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors

 

[aart]

but they do free range 95% of the days.

What is your climate/location?
Temps could play a big part in whether your chicks will be ready to be off heat by 2 weeks.(maybe I'm misunderstanding/assuming the 'off heat' part)

Space has no hard finite numbers, less space can work.... or not.
Just like heat levels you've got to go by their behaviors.
Space guide lines (rules of thumb) are usually minimums IMO.
Crowded birds, no matter the age, can be stressful for both keeper and birds...
......more work, bad behaviors.

I have no expertise to offer.

Pffft! That's great experience you've given!
I remember the 2 pad dilemma discussion...think you were the first to go 12 x ~48. Adding the gap between was brilliant. A couple others have used the 12x48 configuration.(think this was one ) Can't remember who had the 24x24 fiasco.

 

[Birdinhand]

I have done double, XL MHP's, you can cut and paste the address from my signature and find pictures and descriptions. I went with a rather industrial strength design because I raise batches of 37 CX and needed it to be able to hold their weight. they did amazingly well, it actually reduced leg issues and I recently found some science oriented confirmation of why. In the book Behavioral Biology of Chickens, it is explained that CX have leg issues not because of over feeding but because they tend not to get any dark periods. With the MHP they get to sleep in total darnkess more than the 4 hour minimum they must get per 24h for normal joint and bone growth. for folks who have not tried it, what you see in this thread is the beginnings of a true revolution in brooding. if it's better for CX biology, I'm pretty confident in saying, hands down, it's healthier for all types.

 

[lazy gardener]

But, Aart, I did not use the 12 x 48. I tried L, then graduated to 24 x 28 with a 4" alley between the 2 pads.

@kerschicky16, you are posting on 2 threads. I'm gonna keep all my further posts over here.

Is there any way you can carve out more brooder space, perhaps move some furniture... move stuff up onto a card table, and put your brooder underneath? Perhaps pack some stuff into crates, and stack the crates while you are brooding? We live in a small house, so have had to get very creative at repurposing space.

 

[lazy gardener]

it is explained that CX have leg issues not because of over feeding but because they tend not to get any dark periods. With the MHP they get to sleep in total darnkess more than the 4 hour minimum they must get per 24h for normal joint and bone growth. for folks who haven not tried it, what you see in this thread is the beginnings of a true revolution in brooding. if it's better for CX biology, I'm pretty confident in saying, hands down, it's healthier for all types.

1000 likes for above post. BRILLIANT!!! Makes me want to start some CX this spring... simply because!!!

 

[aart]

But, Aart, I did not use the 12 x 48. I tried L, then graduated to 24 x 28 with a 4" alley between the 2 pads.

Sorry, my error.