MHP Construction Method?

[Hufflefluff]

Hello, and thank you all for your responses!
I'm so sorry to be getting back to this so late. I did, per many of your suggestions, decide to go with a flat pad. A lot of the materials are improvised, based on what I had around the house (I'll try to pick up some bungees soon. for example, but don't have any on hand. Below I've attached some (read: lots ) pictures of what I did; I'd welcome feedback + suggestions. Thank you for all of your contributions!

^My general supplies

I don't have the adjustable screws, so I used washers bugger than the hols on my cookie sheet over pencils, wrapping the bases of the pencils in duct tape to the height I wanted (so the washers couldn't slide back down. I ended up attaching extra washers to the bottom of both of the pencils so they'd have a flat, sturdy bottom, and ended up taping the top washers to the baking rack for added stability.

This is the almost finished base, before I added the washers to the bottoms of the pencils (I also added a half strip of tape to raise the pencil side a bit higher). I kept the back end low- the thing it's resting on I had lying around, and I attached it to the rack with ribbon so it can be tilted as I raise the pencils. After I added washers at the base of the pencils, it's pretty dang sturdy.

This isn't a great picture, but it gives a general idea of how I attached the pad. I tied it to the underside of the rack using ribbon- five across and one lengthwise. This is the piece I'm iffiest on. It hold, but I have a feeling that a determined chick could probably worm its way between the pad and the rack, ultimately killing it. I've been looking for cheap mini bungees, and if I find some I'll probably end up replacing or supplementing this. If anyone has other ideas, I'd love to hear them.

At this point, I think I'm just getting picture trigger-happy Anyway, This is the base for the top of the pad- I cut cardboard to size, and then covered the top with plastic wrap to waterproof it. This was then taped to the rack.

To cover the plastic wrap, I cut a piece of fabric from an old shower curtain- as you can see from the picture, it was essentially a thin towel. I didn't do anything to the edges, but am wondering if I should- it doesn't fray of break off, so far as I can tell, but chicks tend to be walking embodiments of Murphy's Laws gig) so I might have to reconsider. Thoughts?

Anyways, that's about it- here's a picture of the finished product and then what it looks like from underneath. Sorry for the picture spam Also, I'm getting the chicks a week from next saturday, so I have time to make any necessary changes- if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

(and from underneath...)

Thank you!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

With my Bantam chicks, I’ve simply taken to putting the heating pad flat on the floor or shallow basket in an old pillow case with another pillow case draped over the top like a tent. I keep a small old teddy in the middle for cuddles when the chicks are very little. But I’ve never bothered with constructing a hoop or anything when they seem just fine sleeping on top of the warm pad.

Are you using it indoors or outdoors in this fashion?

 

[TattooedChicks]

Are you using it indoors or outdoors in this fashion?

I’ve done both indoor and outdoor with this method with up to 20 bantams. I currently have nine three week olds on it now inside my house with plans to transfer them outside this week with the pad to continue growing in the coop.

 

[NNYchick]

My 9 Silkies turned 4 weeks old on last Thursday and I moved them out to the coop today. I don’t think I’ll do chicks in the house again it’s a mess.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Since trying MHP, I keep chicks in the first week to observe then they go to the brooder outside in my patio. A lot less "dust"