MHP pics and experiences please!

[Treestreets]

I want to try the MHP, the original thread is inspiring, but quite overwhelming. Could those of you who used it post pics and experiences with it? Thank you so much!!

 

[azygous]

Do try to read through the thread as you have the time, as there are so many details that came up as the evolution of the system was developed.

The main thing is to get set up properly with a frame and the right kind of heating pad. The pad should be any that will remain on and not shut off automatically. It can have six settings or three, or even just one. But the pad has to stay on.

The best frame is sturdy but flexible steel fencing such as field fencing. chicken wire and hardware cloth are too flimsy and easily collapse under the weight of growing chicks.

I fasten the pad to the underside of the fencing using small bungies. Then the entire assembly is either stuffed into a pillow case or wrapped securely in a large cloth to prevent chicks from squeezing in between frame and pad and getting themselves killed. The cord is not going to be a safety problem.

You want to adjust the frame so the chicks' backs touch the underside of the pad. The frame needs readjusting each week as the chicks double in size.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I read the whole thread, tried it & will never go back to the heat light. I find chicks are not so skittish & oh so very quiet!

The most important thing to know is the heating pad must not have an automatic shut off. I went with the Sunbeam 732-500 (12"x24"), used left over 1/2" x 1" wire for my frame, sewed a few "pillow cases" out of leftover flannel which I put the heating pad in, placed it under the wire frame, held together with small bungees, put a towel on top (tried potty paper too) of the "cave".

I wash the towels & disinfect every 2 - 3 days depending how many I'm raising. By the time they're about 2 - 3 wks, they start spending more time on top than under. That's when I use the potty pad on top of the towel (cushion).

 

[Shezadandy]

Agreed- MHP is terrific. Today I went for some feed store chicks for a hen whose fertile eggs were destroyed in a fight =( -- Those poor feed store babies-- and this is the 3rd batch this has happened with - as soon as I put them under MHP and they have a warm, dark space to sleep for the first time since they were shipped in a box- I actually wondered if they'd all died- because they're so exhausted from the heat lamp 24/7- I actually had to pull the MHP up to get them to wake up and eat and drink after several hours of silence. In our case today it was a short term thing until the right time of day for meeting their new momma (the real thing)- but all I had to do was plug it in- very handy. She happily accepted her new charges, btw.

We went even simpler. The racks they sell for inside your kitchen cabinet to hold tall things like foil, saran wrap, wax paper et. al. - I used 2 of those- bent the back part down and pushed the "legs" out- put the heating pad in a pillowcase- so 1 rack on the bottom, then a washcloth (though my picture shows the previous version with no washcloth) then a heating pad in a pillow case, then the 2nd rack on top- ziptied together and covered with a hand towel. Whatever you do- make sure there's nowhere that a little beak and head can get stuck- zip ties are great but they must be extremely tight, or have any potential spot wrapped with some Coflex or Vetwrap. The other thing that many people bring up is the importance of having exits on 3 sides so nobody gets stuck. The hand towel is good for this- leave enough of a gap so they know they can leave through there. Personally I use paper towels or the rubberized shelf liner stuff for the first 2-3 days if raising by hand.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Like the rubberized shelf liner idea & sandwiching the heating pad between the two frames. I don't use shavings the first week, using potty pads so I can watch the poops. When they go into the brooder, they get shavings under the MHP but potty paper covering the floor for a few more weeks then shavings.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

I have had my chicks about a week. I went straight to MHP, never used a heat lamp before. I used a cookie rack and long nuts/bolts/washers for legs. They are adjustable that way and I can give it a slope. My opening in the front is about 4", and it slopes to 2" in the back, with a gap for escape so no one gets squished and overheated.
The heating pad (a Sunbeam, but not the digital kind) is bungeed on to the bottom of the cookie rack and then the top is covered by a rag and paper towel/shavings. I got a heating pad that has no auto shutoff, but still has adjustable heat settings. I got non digital because twice in the weeks leading up to my chicks arrival I noticed the power go out of 30 seconds then come back on. Not sure what that was about, but with this one as long as the power is on it turns back on. With the digital one, if the power shuts off and then comes back on, someone needs to be there to turn the heating pad back on. I don't think the power has blipped since then anyway, but better safe than sorry, especially when you work 10 hour shifts.
So far I am hugely impressed, the chicks spend a lot of time in the ambient 65-70° room outside of their cave. I turned the heat down from high to medium last night as I noticed occasionally one would come out of the cave and looked to be panting. Still ambling around, no signs of being too cold (or too warm) with the decreased temp.
They are quiet all night and know exactly what dusk means. Hoping this will make it easier for them to learn to go into the coop at night when the time comes!
No pasty butts so far either.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Good point about the heating pad when there's a power outage ... if the power shuts off and then comes back on, someone needs to be there to turn the heating pad back on . I need to check mine. Do you know what model your Sunbeam is @BBZZZZTT ? Cuties

 

[oregonkat]

I read the whole thread, tried it & will never go back to the heat light. I find chicks are not so skittish & oh so very quiet!

The most important thing to know is the heating pad must not have an automatic shut off. I went with the Sunbeam 732-500 (12"x24"), used left over 1/2" x 1" wire for my frame, sewed a few "pillow cases" out of leftover flannel which I put the heating pad in, placed it under the wire frame, held together with small bungees, put a towel on top (tried potty paper too) of the "cave".

I wash the towels & disinfect every 2 - 3 days depending how many I'm raising. By the time they're about 2 - 3 wks, they start spending more time on top than under. That's when I use the potty pad on top of the towel (cushion).

View attachment 1273351 View attachment 1273350

Hee, heeee so fabulous. I love the little grey chick in the second photo on the far left with it's little butt up in the air and fast asleep on its head. My chiropractor bill would go through the roof if I tried this. I love my MHP, never going to do anything else with my littles.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

Good point about the heating pad when there's a power outage ... if the power shuts off and then comes back on, someone needs to be there to turn the heating pad back on . I need to check mine. Do you know what model your Sunbeam is @BBZZZZTT ? Cuties

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00075M1T6?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

This is the one I got. It has a machine washable cover that comes off and then the heating element is covered in plastic that can be disinfected. Regardless though, I only plan on using it for chickens.

 

[trudyg]

No pasty butts so far either. I was wondering about this, since heat seems to cause pasty butt. Anyone else see a reduction in pasty butt when using the mhp? I got the 12 x 24 sunbeam, made a frame from 1/2" wire that I stiffened with wood lath strips. I then drilled holes in the lath strips in the bottom to accept the all-thread rods so they don't splay out. I plan to also use a wool hen, since I'm getting 10 red rangers and 5 buff orps--I've read that the meaties run warm and grow fast and I want to be able to separate them from the buffs if I need to. I figure the warm natured ones will tend to go in the wool hen? I may be wrong.