MHP (Mama Heating Pad) Question

[debid]

True Dat^^^'

But good to keep cord and especially controller out of chicks path just to keep poop off of them.

The little plastic cable hanger clips work great! I just screwed one to the wall and pushed the wire in. The controller sits on top of it.

Oh, and they do seem to be feathering faster than outdoor chicks brooded with a light. I'm fascinated by this since I wouldn't have expected any difference but clearly the cold part of the brooder is even colder with the lower wattage MHP and the pop door open. Two weeks old yesterday with shoulder feathers, prickles on the sides of the body already...

 

[haunani]

Well, we won't be waiting until the end of April to start out, lol.

Stopped at the farm store today so I could show my 4yo the chicks. I truly didn't expect them to actually have Easter Eggers, which I really wanted.

So, I came home with 3 new girls. I hurriedly finished the brooder and they're now sleeping hard under their "mama".

 

[haunani]

Here are the girls passed out in their cave.

 

[IamDavesWife]

Ok I'm freaking out about this MHP thing a bit..... the best I was able to come up with were some wire shelf units that you would typically use in your cabinets (maybe to put cans under and on top so you could have 2 "shelves" of cans where there would only be one.) I put the heating pad on top and I couldn't seem to make it warm up enough .... so I happened to have a "under tank" heating pad that would be used for a reptile tank. Put this under the same end of the huge rubbermaid tote as the wire shelf/heating pad. The 3 chicks I brought home today (approx 3 days old) have stayed under there all day. Silly question, but are baby chicks smart enough to move out to a cooler area (away from the heating pads) if they get too hot? They have been coming out to eat/drink, and I've taken them out a few times to socialize but frankly I'm terrified I'm going to wake up to some fried chicken in the morning. (Can you tell I'm a first timer???)

 

[junebuggena]

Ok I'm freaking out about this MHP thing a bit..... the best I was able to come up with were some wire shelf units that you would typically use in your cabinets (maybe to put cans under and on top so you could have 2 "shelves" of cans where there would only be one.) I put the heating pad on top and I couldn't seem to make it warm up enough .... so I happened to have a "under tank" heating pad that would be used for a reptile tank. Put this under the same end of the huge rubbermaid tote as the wire shelf/heating pad. The 3 chicks I brought home today (approx 3 days old) have stayed under there all day. Silly question, but are baby chicks smart enough to move out to a cooler area (away from the heating pads) if they get too hot? They have been coming out to eat/drink, and I've taken them out a few times to socialize but frankly I'm terrified I'm going to wake up to some fried chicken in the morning. (Can you tell I'm a first timer???)

Missing the point. You aren't trying to warm the cave. The chicks get warmed by making contact with the pad, just like they would with a momma hen. If your setup is too tall or if it's not really adjustable, it won't work.

 

[barred2rock]

Yep, they are just like the adults, Shannon.  They sleep and poop all at the same time, so I wouldn't recommend anything under there that you can't pull out and replace, or at least replenish with a fresh layer.  Folks have used of things for MHP frames - cookie cooling racks, wire shelving thingies from Walmart (that's a technical term specific to Mama Heating Pad) and the like.  Hardware cloth doesn't seem to have enough substance on it's own to support the weight of the pad, the bungee cords (if you are using them) and the chicks tussling around on there, but a few people have made them work by attaching them to wood on each side.  

I used WireForm Metal Mesh, then reinforced it with the box that the small heat pad came in, with the flaps cutoff. Taped the sharp edges with gorilla tape.

 

[haunani]

I did mine with part of a tomato cage, reinforced with some leftover hardware cloth. The MHP is mounted to the bottom side, held in place with bungee cords, then the whole shebang covered with a pillow case.

 

[Mr Pink]

Missing the point. You aren't trying to warm the cave. The chicks get warmed by making contact with the pad, just like they would with a momma hen. If your setup is too tall or if it's not really adjustable, it won't work.

Getting ready for my chicks in a few days ..got up MHP and have had it running couple days with thermometer ( which has been keeping a pretty constraint 80 degrees ) but didn't know that the chicks were supposed to be able to make contact with pad ???

Pretty sure that they ( as it's set up now ) will not be able to , SO will adding the depth of my shavings under the MHP work or will they just kick them out ???

Opinions ?

 

[aart]

Quote: Can't measure the radiant heat under an MHP like you measure the heat put out by a heat lamp, so don't sweat that.

If you can't adjust the height of the 'ceiling' than you'll have to adjust the height of the 'floor'.
I'd put something more solid under there than just shavings as they will dislodge them.
Maybe a series of 1x boards that fit under your pad.

I don't have a 'cave' tho.......I have what I call the 'pseudo heat plate'...it's flat, not curved, and has adjustable legs.
I fashioned it after the chick heat plates made by Brinsea and Premiere.
It offers a more consistent surface for contact heating of chicks,
and tho harder to build the adjustable legs make it easier to use IMO.

 

[Mr Pink]

Thanks aart I'll do some adjusting