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

[Blooie]

We’ll be watching. Really, no need to swelter for the sake of the chicks. You can leave your air on.....my chicks were fine in a 69 degree room the first couple of days then moved outside where the ambient air temp was struggling to see 38. Um, a few days later it dropped into the 20s and they didn’t even notice.

 

[jo777]

thanks- it's a room we don't use much, it will be closed off due to cats (and the brooder is secure with hardware cloth too- just in case.) I figure it's better for them to be a bit warmer as they will be living in the space and we are just visiting until they get moved outside anyway.

 

[jo777]

Nerves are getting the best of me.. on day 19, and apparently I have at least one internal pip as I heard cheeping from inside an egg in the incubator! I rigged up the mhp by wrapping it in a trash bag, and then in one layer of towel and bungee corded it to my frame. I'm just so worried that it won't be warm enough.. On high, up against the mhp it's over 100* so I *know* it is.. but nerves and my always cold hands.. and silly me getting attached to chicks not even hatched yet! I ended up with 19 at lockdown, one was a late quitter. Sadly, fully formed- and a pretty black Amerucana too. Couldn't see anything glaringly wrong with it.. prob lost about day 16. I work tomorrow, but my husband and I took Friday off. Me, so I can hover and fret apparently, him so he can finish the fence and coop!

 

[bobbi-j]

They will be fine with the MHP. I tried it for the first time this year. Had chicks out in the coop from the day I got them (in MN in April). The lows got down into the high 20's and low 30's. The chicks were plenty warm. They were able to come and go from under the MHP at will. This is the healthiest bunch of chicks I have raised.

 

[bruceha2000]

The first time with anything new is always more stressful since you don't know what to expect. Just remember that if they are quiet at night, it is because they are sleeping in the dark in their cave It is OK to check once or twice to reassure yourself . People that have brooded with heat lamps (which is the vast majority) are so used to 24x7 cheeping and chicks falling asleep wherever they are walking that quiet chicks are unnerving. Don't worry, you will live through this

 

[jo777]

The first time with anything new is always more stressful since you don't know what to expect. Just remember that if they are quiet at night, it is because they are sleeping in the dark in their cave It is OK to check once or twice to reassure yourself . People that have brooded with heat lamps (which is the vast majority) are so used to 24x7 cheeping and chicks falling asleep wherever they are walking that quiet chicks are unnerving. Don't worry, you will live through this

Thanks! This is one reason I wanted to do the mhp- just more natural day/night and since they are across the hall from our bedroom . First hatch, things have been going (for the most part) on target. It's been fun and very educational. At this point, I'd do it again.. I'm just looking forward to some fluffbutts soon!

 

[bruceha2000]

We had the last 2 batches IN our bedroom, to keep the cats away from them. Hoping DW and my snoring didn't bother the sleeping chicks.

 

[jo777]

It's so interesting- 17 chicks that hatched are doing great! They love the MHP and have progressed already to snoozing on top at 1 wk old and crashing out for the night mostly at the edge or outside the MHP. I had one side (2 MHP side by side) on high, one med. The first few nights they were all under there.. slowly over the last few days they seemed perfectly comfy snoozing next to it. Turned one side to med.. still outside- now one side is low one med. They are a week old. They certainly don't seem to need as much heat as I assumed. The ambient temp though is 73-75.

 

[gohappy]

Thank you so much for sharing

 

[Blooie]

They don't need nearly the heat we are told they do....I am so happy that MHP is working for you!

We are always glad to share how it works and why it works! I didn't see these two posts earlier or I would have responded sooner.