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

[aart]

I'm afraid not. I've only raised small batches of chicks and use my XPress XL heating pad. I think there are threads here on BYC related to ceramic heat plates and heat bulbs.

I've seen ceramic bulbs but not plates....so was curious.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Wow... This thread needs a Dewey decimal system to categorize the information....

OK, so I'm intrigued by this idea and would love to consider it for my new chicks expected to hatch this weekend.

A couple of questions...

1. It says to use with pine shavings... I thought with newborn chicks you were supposed to start with newspaper for a few days to make it easier for them to find their food? Can you use the MHP with newspaper bedding? Or stick with shavings right from the start?

2. What is the recommended inside height of the cave structure for newborn chicks? Do you adjust the height as they get bigger?

I'm sure I'll think of more questions as I get closer to putting it together....

 

[Molpet]

Wow... This thread needs a Dewey decimal system to categorize the information....

OK, so I'm intrigued by this idea and would love to consider it for my new chicks expected to hatch this weekend.

A couple of questions...

1. It says to use with pine shavings... I thought with newborn chicks you were supposed to start with newspaper for a few days to make it easier for them to find their food? Can you use the MHP with newspaper bedding? Or stick with shavings right from the start?

2. What is the recommended inside height of the cave structure for newborn chicks? Do you adjust the height as they get bigger?

I'm sure I'll think of more questions as I get closer to putting it together....

Newspaper is slick and can cause leg problems. I put paper towels over the shavings for the first week. Actually I use pine pellets now days.
Low enough that it touches the chicks backs and raise as needed

 

[aart]

1. It says to use with pine shavings... I thought with newborn chicks you were supposed to start with newspaper for a few days to make it easier for them to find their food? Can you use the MHP with newspaper bedding? Or stick with shavings right from the start?

Yes, newspaper is too slick, I use paper towels over PDZ for the first week, then they go out to the coop.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

2. What is the recommended inside height of the cave structure for newborn chicks? Do you adjust the height as they get bigger?

I start with it about 1.5" at the back and 3" at the front.
Yes, it will need to be raised as they grow, why adjustable legs are great(essential IMO).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate.67729/

 

[TJAnonymous]

Thanks everyone! What temperature do you start at? How do you ensure you don't get it too hot?

 

[wyoDreamer]

With a heating pad, it won't get too hot and burn them. My heating pad has 3 settings, so I basically start at 3 (high), drop it down to 2 (medium) when they start feathering out and then drop it to 1 (low) when they are feathered.
Just watch what they do, if they are all sleeping at the edges then it is too hot underneath. I have a piece of polar fleece fabric that I drape over the heating pad and I cut the edge that hangs down into 1" fringe. When they sleep at the fringe, I turn it down a notch.

 

[aart]

Thanks everyone! What temperature do you start at? How do you ensure you don't get it too hot?

It's hard to measure temps with a pad as they work differently than a lamp.
Lamps heat the ground under them, and anything else that is there,
with pads the chicks touch their backs(or get very close) to the pad to get warm.
Go mostly by behaviors.

 

[bruceha2000]

It says to use with pine shavings... I thought with newborn chicks you were supposed to start with newspaper for a few days to make it easier for them to find their food?

I start mine in the house in a box with newspaper on the bottom and paper towels on top of that. I change the paper towels a couple of times a day. They go out into the barn in the brooding area after their first full day in the house. The brooding area is in the corner of the coop and has fresh pine shavings. If I have a broody hen they go under her a zero dark thirty, if not the MHP gets moved to the barn with the chicks the next day.

I made a raised area with wood with holes for the bases of the food and water containers to keep the shavings (mostly) out of the food and water.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I start mine in the house in a box with newspaper on the bottom and paper towels on top of that. I change the paper towels a couple of times a day. They go out into the barn in the brooding area after their first full day in the house. The brooding area is in the corner of the coop and has fresh pine shavings. If I have a broody hen they go under her a zero dark thirty, if not the MHP gets moved to the barn with the chicks the next day.

I made a raised area with wood with holes for the bases of the food and water containers to keep the shavings (mostly) out of the food and water.

I don't have a broody hen.... Got one I can borrow?

I have set up a brooder box in the house with shavings and paper towels. Going to put the MHP setup together tomorrow. Expecting chicks to hatch on Sunday hopefully.... I will keep them indoors for a couple of weeks before moving them into the coop

 

[Aunt Angus]

I don't have a broody hen.... Got one I can borrow?

I have set up a brooder box in the house with shavings and paper towels. Going to put the MHP setup together tomorrow. Expecting chicks to hatch on Sunday hopefully.... I will keep them indoors for a couple of weeks before moving them into the coop

Get yourself a Silkie! Lol! Mine are perpetual brooders!

And I love puppy pads for newbies. But you sound ready!!!!