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

[AmeliaBedelia]

Ok, just remembered I have an 8x10 inch toaster oven rack I can use. That will fit better in the "teeny baby nursery." I attached the cooling rack leg to one side, which makes it about 3.5 inches tall. Debating between attaching the identical leg to the other side and using an old folded towel to elevate half the "cave" floor a bit to create a warmer "snuggling" zone vs. finding something shorter to hold up that side.

Including a photo- the white wash cloth is my stand-in for my 9x9 heating pad that arrives tomorrow. I plan to either cover the 3 sides that don't currently have the metal leg with a fleece OR create a tunnel with two open sides. Thoughts? They will be indoors, so the air temp won't be very cold.

We are only planning to use this set up for the first week or so. We wanted something we can move into the living room or outdoors with us during the day so we can keep an eye on the little ladies while they are so small. After that, we plan to switch them to a significantly larger space that's less portable.

So to sum up:

1. Is this terrible, or should it work for the first week (with fleece added on top/sides)?
2. slanted roof or elevate part of the floor?
3. cave or tunnel?

TIA for any advice!

 

[E Buschjost]

This thread has been running a looong time and I’ve read almost all of it. But I may have missed this information if so I apologize. This is my situation:
I’m getting eggs March 16-ish to hatch. I currently have no chickens. I have a large coop and run. I’m in Missouri. Temps should be 50’s-60’s during day and 30’s-40’s @ night. Do I put the MHP in the coop and open the pop door up every morning to let them out into the run? Can they go out to the coop from day 1? I am using sand in the coop and run. Small grass area. Can they go onto sand or should I put something down in the coop under the MHP etc to cover the sand for awhile? If so, how long and how big of an area should be covered?
Thanks in advance!

 

[aart]

Do I put the MHP in the coop and open the pop door up every morning to let them out into the run?

I'd keep them in the coop for at least a week.
How do they get from coop to run.....is there a ramp or...?

Can they go onto sand or should I put something down in the coop under the MHP etc to cover the sand for awhile? If so, how long and how big of an area should be covered?

I use paper towels in the brooder at first, under the heater and over to the feeding station, which is tote lid until they learn to eat from feeder.
This is from after paper towel time, but shows the tote lid....
....also the inverted crate tray under heater.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

This thread has been running a looong time and I’ve read almost all of it. But I may have missed this information if so I apologize. This is my situation:
I’m getting eggs March 16-ish to hatch. I currently have no chickens. I have a large coop and run. I’m in Missouri. Temps should be 50’s-60’s during day and 30’s-40’s @ night. Do I put the MHP in the coop and open the pop door up every morning to let them out into the run? Can they go out to the coop from day 1? I am using sand in the coop and run. Small grass area. Can they go onto sand or should I put something down in the coop under the MHP etc to cover the sand for awhile? If so, how long and how big of an area should be covered?
Thanks in advance!

I've also heard you want to make sure there isn't tooo much space or little corners they could get lost or stuck in when they are teeny weeny? You may want to ask about that in a separate thread though or google it...I'm not a huge expert. I'm doing "newborns" for the first time this year. Only done 4+ weeks old before.

 

[bruceha2000]

They most likely wouldn't go into the run on their own the first week anyway. Make sure they can get back in the coop easily though at even just a week they can hop up a couple of inches.

Unless the heat source is square, you want it wider than it is deep. Lower in the back so they birds can get up against the heat source. With MHP you can put the pad on top but strapping it underneath is better since they can get direct contact.

 

[TJAnonymous]

At what age do you stop using the MHP? I have 2 chicks who are 24 days old. They are not fully feathered yet. They are being kept in a tub set up as a brooder in my sun room. It's pretty chilly in there right now so I put up a heat lamp about 3 ft above the brooder. I was hoping to warm up the general area. The MHP is currently set on M (medium) heat. Over the past couple of nights, I've noticed that the chicks are not sleeping under the MHP but just outside of it instead. I did raise it so they would have room.

Should I lower the temperature to L (low)? At what age do they generally stop using the MHP?

 

[aart]

At what age do you stop using the MHP? I have 2 chicks who are 24 days old. They are not fully feathered yet. They are being kept in a tub set up as a brooder in my sun room. It's pretty chilly in there right now so I put up a heat lamp about 3 ft above the brooder. I was hoping to warm up the general area. The MHP is currently set on M (medium) heat. Over the past couple of nights, I've noticed that the chicks are not sleeping under the MHP but just outside of it instead. I did raise it so they would have room.

Should I lower the temperature to L (low)? At what age do they generally stop using the MHP?

Turn off the heat lamp, see what they do.
If they no longer go under the pad, turn it off.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Turn off the heat lamp, see what they do.
If they no longer go under the pad, turn it off.

I shut off the heat lamp and now they are calling out quite pathetically...

The brooder is next to the window. The room is heated and not drafty, but considering the temperature will drop into the 20s tonight I'm sure that area of the sunroom will be in the lower 60s or even 50s. Will they be able to stay warm enough under the MHP with only 2 of them?

 

[aart]

I shut off the heat lamp and now they are calling out quite pathetically...

Might be the lack of light they are bemoaning.

The brooder is next to the window. The room is heated and not drafty, but considering the temperature will drop into the 20s tonight I'm sure that area of the sunroom will be in the lower 60s or even 50s. Will they be able to stay warm enough under the MHP with only 2 of them?

At 3 weeks they should be fine.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Might be the lack of light they are bemoaning.


At 3 weeks they should be fine.

They've quieted down already. I'll go peek in a bit and see if they are under the MHP again...

They're in that awkward phase where they aren't really fuzzy anymore except for random tufts here and there... But their feathers aren't fully grown out either. Just like little stubs where feathers are just beginning to emerge from the shaft... I call it the ugly stage, even though they are so awkward looking that they are cute.