Mama heating pad outdoors **worried it’s not warm enough***

[MagistraTn]

weve Upgraded from last years box in the garage and our new hatchlings (black laced copper Wyandottes, amerucaunas and black copper marans, 12 total) will have a homemade brooder box and a mama heating pad. They’re hatching tomorrow and I’m freaking out because while the top of my cave is warm, the floor was 58f this morning. The weather looks reasonably mild (lows in the 50s) for the next two weeks.

should I tuck the pad inside a cardboard box to add some insulation to trap the warmth?

will adding puppy pad, paper towel and pine shavings help?

looking for reinsurance that I won’t kill them

I’ll add some photos after I get my coffee in:

i also have the brooder plate from last year, but I used that in the garage. The MHP looked a little small for 12 (what if they send extras)…

 

[rosemarythyme]

It doesn't really matter what temperature the floor is. As long as the heating pad is working properly (I test with my hand) the chicks will stay warm, as this is meant to mimic how a hen would warm her chicks by letting them snuggle against the heat of her body.

I do like adding wood shavings for extra cushioning and to artificially raise the floor level so the chicks can really snuggle against the heating pad surface (the "low" point of my heating pad set up is quite low so chicks wiggle under it).