Pre Pads in Brooder Question

[sevenfatcows]

Mine are all gone off into the big world; the youngest is almost 30. I think the most important thing about the brooding of chicks is to pay attention and be flexible and able to change things up when needed. Everybody has different takes on it and many ways to skin a cat. I hope you update and lets us know how it goes.

 

[rebeccanicole06]

The "fort" as you describe above is what we plan to do. Thank you for clarifying! Our pad is on the way and I'm looking forward to getting the brooder all set up with my 11yo son on Wednesday.

I am only keeping them in the house for a few days because it is unseasonably cold outside right now, and mostly because this batch was chosen specifically to imprint as pets. This is also the first time I will be using the heating pad instead of a heat lamp, so I feel better about having it where I can easily keep on eye on things.

Thank you so much for your input!

 

[rebeccanicole06]

The "fort" as you describe above is what we plan to do. Thank you for clarifying! Our pad is on the way and I'm looking forward to getting the brooder all set up with my 11yo son on Wednesday.

I am only keeping them in the house for a few days because it is unseasonably cold outside right now, and mostly because this batch was chosen specifically to imprint as pets. This is also the first time I will be using the heating pad instead of a heat lamp, so I feel better about having it where I can easily keep on eye on things.

Thank you so much for your input!

What heating pad are you going to use?? I've heard sunbeam from Amazon but can't find the original post about the MHP.

 

[lazy gardener]

I am not a fan of chux, or puppy pads. IIRC, the surface of both is made of a spun polyester type of "fabric". If chicks do shred the surface a bit, there is risk of toes getting caught, and them eating the long fibers. Do any of these pads have silica in them: the stuff that wicks moisture? that would also be a hazard if ingested. I start my chicks on paper towels for a very short time: sometimes only laying out a swath of paper towel over the shavings so the chicks get started on eating the crumble as they walk on it on the paper towel. As soon as they are eating well, the paper towel is removed, and they go straight to shavings. I always see to it that they have grit and soil available in the first week of life. MHP all the way for me, with them brooded outside after they are eating, drinking and using MHP correctly.

 

[VintageLilFarm]

I am not a fan of chux, or puppy pads. IIRC, the surface of both is made of a spun polyester type of "fabric". If chicks do shred the surface a bit, there is risk of toes getting caught, and them eating the long fibers. Do any of these pads have silica in them: the stuff that wicks moisture? that would also be a hazard if ingested. I start my chicks on paper towels for a very short time: sometimes only laying out a swath of paper towel over the shavings so the chicks get started on eating the crumble as they walk on it on the paper towel. As soon as they are eating well, the paper towel is removed, and they go straight to shavings. I always see to it that they have grit and soil available in the first week of life. MHP all the way for me, with them brooded outside after they are eating, drinking and using MHP correctly.

What is MHP?

 

[lazy gardener]

Mother heating pad. It's a heating pad with a wire frame that makes a heated "cave" where the chicks can warm themselves much as they would under their broody hen. Do a thread search, and you'll find a thread and 2 articles hosted/written by @Blooie.

 

[VintageLilFarm]

Mother heating pad. It's a heating pad with a wire frame that makes a heated "cave" where the chicks can warm themselves much as they would under their broody hen. Do a thread search, and you'll find a thread and 2 articles hosted/written by @Blooie.

Ah, gotcha. I know what that is. I call it a fort, lol. Hadn't heard MHP. Love it.

 

[Molpet]

I used to think that the pad under the chicks would not work and used to build the forts as well. However over time, I switched to using the pad underneath and noticed no problems. I do not do this until the chicks are at least a week old and partially feathered. And they go outside with a heat source, usually a plate, right away during the daytime. I had some problems with the fort type, using the Sunbeam heating pad, I felt like it was keeping too low a temperature. I remember struggling to get it above 88 degrees underneath during the winter when my house is very cool. They go from the heating pad to the seed germination pad by three weeks, even in the winter. The Sunbeam heating pad also drew more power than halogen lights, so that is a major consideration because I hatch almost continuously and may have several groups in brooders at the same time. It adds up, and the electric company routinely sends me "shaming letters" pointing out that I use more power than my "efficient" neighbors! My husband is an electrical contractor, so it's kind of funny. Anyhow, I don't say this to be contentious, but a heating pad underneath does work for me and I hatch, brood and sell hundreds of chicks per year. Location may matter-we are in the high desert above the Coachella Valley in So Cal at about 4000' elevation. What we think is cold would seem spring-like to many other folks. It is interesting to hear about what works for others.

the heating pad on the frame warms the chicks like a hen would.. by contact and does not heat the space below it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/brooding-with-mama-heating-pad.67728/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors.68067/
I love the heating pad cave.. no worries about the lamp falling or dust igniting. The chicks get to sleep on a normal day cycle. My Parents had used heating lamps and there had been close calls.

 

[sevenfatcows]

the heating pad on the frame warms the chicks like a hen would.. by contact and does not heat the space below it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/brooding-with-mama-heating-pad.67728/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors.68067/
I love the heating pad cave.. no worries about the lamp falling or dust igniting. The chicks get to sleep on a normal day cycle. My Parents had used heating lamps and there had been close calls.

Thanks for the clarification. I thought it was intended to work more like a chick heating plate just above the chicks. Anyhow, I was never happy with the ones we built and worried that my chicks were not warm enough. And then there was the issue of wattage...Here's my conclusion: A heating pad below works like an upside down hen! It is easy, and does not require me to build a wire frame or anything, so I am happy with my method and happy to have other people doing things their own way, too. We all learn from each other, and I love this forum for that reason.

 

[peckpeckpeck]

Don't so Halogen lamps.
They get really hot & I've had them burst when some oil & dust got on the bulb.
Especially with chicks kicking up dust & all kinds of other stuff, I'd play it safe.

Otherwise I'll leave it to more experienced folks like lazy gardener