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

[Faraday40]

Please refresh my memory so i don't have to read through 1134 pages of posts. I have the same heating pad as Blooie the sunbeam with the stay on feature. Its only going up to 6? for some reason i thought it went up to 8 but now I cannot remember. My chicks will hatch this weekend and my delivery of chicks could be as early as tomorrow so I want to make sure I have my pad on the highest setting or if I have to go buy a new one. It doesn't feel all that hot but I cannot remember what it felt like that last time I used my Mamma heating pad. Thanks

I don't have that specific pad. Mine only has 3 settings and I go by "feel" rather than temp. The chicks will let you know by the tone of their peeping. If they go under & are making the normal contented peeps & fall asleep, then you're good. If they're spread out or clumped tightly together and you hear that crying sort of peeping, then they need a temperature adjustment. (or food or water)

 

[Pandamoore28]

I think its best to have an angle...so like higher in the front and lower in the back so the chicks can come forward under the pad if they get too hot or move back if they get too cold. Just make sure that the chicks can get out of both ends. Don't make it so low that they get trapped in the back. Also don't butt it up against the side of your brooder so they can get trapped. Leave enough room all around the pad so they can freely get in and out and walk around all sides. Also, you just raise it up as your chicks grow so they can comfortably have their backs against the heat. good luck

Thanks for this. I had imagined they were all closed in the back (not with wire, but by covering it all the way down in the back with the towel) due to how it looked in the front and I thought closed in the back would do a better job at keeping the back warmer for those who wanted that. I guess angling it will accomplish this as well. I'll see what I can do about angling it as it naturally has a flat "roof".

 

[aart]

Thanks for this. I had imagined they were all closed in the back (not with wire, but by covering it all the way down in the back with the towel) due to how it looked in the front and I thought closed in the back would do a better job at keeping the back warmer for those who wanted that. I guess angling it will accomplish this as well. I'll see what I can do about angling it as it naturally has a flat "roof".

The angling, and also easy height adjustment, is why 4 adjustable legs work best.

At least 2 sides(front and back) should be open for chicks egress so none gets trapped.
Tho this can depend on ambient temps and how many chicks are under how big of a pad.

 

[RoseMarie1]

I did something like this myself because my heat is not staying consistent and I didn't want to deal with pasty butt! In my opinion that is what causes it and I'm not arguing my point. Anyway that said I had this little metal thing I'd found at the thrift store so I used an extra heating pad I have. I used an old flannel pillow case to cover it with and then just zip tied it to the metal thing with electric zip ties. I know they will mess up the cloth but I'm not worried about that because they shouldn't be in the box for long. The light I have on is not staying a good temp so figured I'd do this to help warm them if they get cold. It's not no 30 degrees here or lower so they will be fine. This time we got RIR productions and some doms. My old ones are getting old now and I know I have one that isn't laying. She might lay one every now and then when one of the others isn't laying. These chicks were about a week old when I got them I think.
Opps forgot to say that the legs fit down into the shavings that is in the box so it will be lower. They can get on top OR under it since I fixed it against the wall on 2 sides. I did wrap the heating pad in a mylar plastic stuff that is suppose to reflect your body heat and help keep you warm. One of those emergency blankets they use camping, had a small piece left over from a project.

 

[aart]

I did wrap the heating pad in a mylar plastic stuff that is suppose to reflect your body heat and help keep you warm.

That's gonna hold the heat to the pad instead of letting it touch the chicks.

 

[RoseMarie1]

I tested it out on the cabinet for 2 hours or more and heat was coming from both sides of it. It's fine. Health is not good so not going to fuss with it.

 

[Melodychick]

Here’s a couple of this years chicks under my MHP. This is the second batch I’ve raised this way and the only drawback I’ve seen is that when they are under there, I can’t see them to do a check. Especially in the early days, I like to be able to glance in and count them. But not having to worry about the heat lamp catching fire or the chicks overheating, is worth it! I’ll never go back!!

 

[aart]

and the only drawback I’ve seen is that when they are under there, I can’t see them to do a check.

That drove me nuts too.....until I streamlined my build so I could easily lift it up and take a quick look.

That's a great pic!

 

[Melodychick]

Yeah, last night was their first night and after they had been under there and quiet for a few hours, I couldn’t stand it and lifted it up to peek. Scared the crap out of them!

 

[Blooie]

I just lift it up too. Like everyone else, I need to peek and check on them from time to time, especially those critical first few days. Scares the peewaddin’ outta them, but as soon it’s back in position they calm right down. So using MHP is worth it to me, too.

Finally getting new chicks! Katie and Kendra especially miss them. Our travel schedule should be slowing down by then. We were only home 4 days out of the whole month of September, 8 or 9 days in November, and it’s been like that every month since. This Grand Master stuff is hard on a home life! But our Grand Lodge is coming up, so on August 12th at 4:00pm we’re done! We’ll still be traveling a little for York Rite, since Ken’s also the Grand Recorder for Chapter and a Grand Secretary for Council, but this is his 10th year of that so we’re old hands at that. It’s only a few trips anyway, not like this schedule!

June is going to be tough - home a total of 7 days, but the chicks will be a month old by then and they’re covered. Since they’ll be off MHP by then, and have huge feeders and a 5 gallon waterer, a simple daily check-in on them will be sufficient. There’ll be no eggs to gather or blizzards to contend with, so I’m not worrying about it. We have a couple of events in July, then in August we have our 4 days at Grand Lodge. That might be a little tight, since the whole family is going to be there for that bash and they are my chick sitters, but if the feeders and waterers are cleaned and filled they shouldn’t need anything.

I’m excited to start another batch of chicks! The heating pads are stored (flat, as always!!!) and I’ll give them a good test before I set up their brooding area. This time we’ll set it up directly in the coop, since we don’t have adults in there too, and at first I’ll fence off a corner of it, then expand it until they know where MHP can be found no matter how far they explore. The coop will offer a little more protection from thunderstorms than the run does. I’ve only ordered 10 chicks, so the number will be manageable. I’m excited!