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

[Storybook Farm]

Can anyone post a picture of two MHPs in the same brooder? My pads are 12 X 24, and I’ve read the posts a couple of pages back... I currently have 35 chicks with three MHPs arranged in a “compound” l __ l fashion, with food/water in the middle under a heat lamp (to keep water liquid as temps are still below freezing most nights).

Should I put them more parallel to each other 1 - 2 - 3, all 12’s in front, running away from me on the 24” axis, with a couple of inches between 1-2 and 2-3?

 

[bruceha2000]

6 MHP's ...WOW!

X2

Seems she is convinced it works

With regard to arranging 3 pads - I think you are the first to have more than 2!! If they are using all 3 as set up, I see no reason to change it. If they are trying to cram together under 1 I would change it to a linear configuration. @lazy gardener found 2 in a line work well with a 3-4" gap between them. Close enough I guess that they feel like they are together but can use the "alley" for ingress/egress.

 

[Storybook Farm]

1-It takes some strength, and practice, to activate the HN's.
I give a regular waterer early and late in day so they stay hydrated

So do I now. But that water gets SO GROSS SO FAST! I want better for my chickies!

How many chicks do you have?
6 MHP's ...WOW!

Well, I have multiple hatches, with multiple brooder pens. I have had a bunch of SMALL hatches this year... so, it’s really only 70 chicks.

 

[bruceha2000]

so, it’s really only 70 chicks

Right, "only" 70 I have 16 chickens total with 6 more coming next week.

 

[Storybook Farm]

In that, I wanted to affirm that I set two up side by each when I had a large (for me) hatch of 15 and then was also getting in the mail a new-to-me breed with 20 more chicks same age. I figured I’d need two MHPs just for the 15 (since I’d only done 11 before that and lost two—probably deformities rather than the MHP: they were inside and in the first week at the time). Well, all 15 crammed under one for a weekend, so when the 20 came in, I moved the 15 up to the barn (no losses, note) with 2 new MHPs (since they were growing) arranged at right angles and then put all 20 newcomers under the one MHP. Heck, they were shipped in a box that was only 2/3 the size of my MHP!

So, then, in a few days, I moved up the 20 (so, now it was 35 of them together) and arranged the “compound” of 3 MHPs for 35 chicks. Only thing is, yesterday I had to treat 8 pasty butts, telling me some of them are cold. Hence, my question about arrangements.

 

[Storybook Farm]

Right, "only" 70 I have 16 chickens total with 6 more coming next week.

Everything’s relative! I’m pretty serious about breeding, and I have three breeds, so I have to put a lot of chicks on the ground. Unfortunately, I stepped up to a cabinet incubator this year and it hasn’t worked well for me, hence so many small batches of chicks.

 

[lazy gardener]

@Storybook Farm , are you doing any thing for your chicks PB in terms of diet? Have you given them a plug of sod? I find that a good dose of sod and fermented feed goes a long way towards eliminating PB and improving the consistency of their poo. I'm also a huge fan of Poultry Nutri Drench for all chicks, no matter where they come from.

 

[lazy gardener]

@bruceha2000 What you gonna do with all those birds???? You got a broody hen, or gonna dig out your MHP? I need to sell some hens so I can start some more chicks!

 

[Storybook Farm]

(My day to post...)

@Blooie Looking forward: how many years would you use WELL, CAREFULLY STORED FLAT heating pads?

 

[Storybook Farm]

@Storybook Farm , are you doing any thing for your chicks PB in terms of diet? Have you given them a plug of sod? I find that a good dose of sod and fermented feed goes a long way towards eliminating PB and improving the consistency of their poo. I'm also a huge fan of Poultry Nutri Drench for all chicks, no matter where they come from.

I wash their butts. I give them electrolye filled water. Alternate with ACV. Never heard of sod or of Poultry Nutri Drench... tell more about both? (You can PM me so we don’t get off topic here, if you want.)