Pseudo Brooder Heater 'Plate'

[we3ernes]

Without pictures it's like it never even happened.

@RoosterML - do you mean of the chicks? Have you tried taking photos of chicks under a heating pad? It’s really dark in there! But, because you asked....

 

[RoosterML]

@RoosterML - do you mean of the chicks? Have you tried taking photos of chicks under a heating pad? It’s really dark in there! But, because you asked....
View attachment 1638841

Thanks, So now I believe you got chicks. Could also be colored cotton balls...

 

[Mikiki]

This was the inspiration for my heated cave. Babies have been in for almost 3 weeks now, and I obviously have a problem (chicken math! Because more will be here in 4 days!)

 

[ajackalope]

Is this outside? We brood our chicks in the coop. They are in a separate "room" in the coop. It's a 5x5 area with walls 4' high and mesh the rest of the way to the ceiling. I looked at both the Premier and the Brinsea and both recommended to be used in a room at leat 50 degrees. I'm in the northeast and at the end of May last year we were getting frost. The littles have been ok in past years with heat lamps but I want to get away from them. I keep them bedded in sand so I don't have to worry about the bedding catching fire at least.

 

[aart]

Is this outside? We brood our chicks in the coop.

I keep them in the house for the first week after hatch, then they go outside to the coop.
Can't tell ya what temps tho...30's and night and up.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I tried to measure the temp underneath kinda hard with chickies running around.

About 1/2" from the bottom of the rack is about 95 degrees.
The floor of the brooder under the plate, about 2" from rack where I measured, is about 85 degrees.
The rack underneath is very warm to the touch but it didn't make me want to take my hand away....YMMV.

They seem very content under there......I can only assume that I'd be hearing distress cheeps if they were too cold or too hot.

Is this an inside or outside in the coop brooder?

 

[aart]

Is this an inside or outside in the coop brooder?

I keep them in the house for the first week after hatch, then they go outside to the coop.
Can't tell ya what temps tho...30's and night and up.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Thank you for responding, I realized how old this post was right after I asked the question. I'd like mine to go straight to the coop brooder when they get here, we're already in the 70's low 80's during the day and 50's and 60's at night. I was scrolling through looking for posts on what the best bedding is and came across this, your posts are very informative and I enjoy reading them.

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

easily swapped out and washed as needed.

my husband said it’s not sanitary to launder chick pooped towels - am I missing something? I suggested using towels and washing them but he said HECK NO how do you launder yours? Bleach?

 

[K0k0shka]

my husband said it’s not sanitary to launder chick pooped towels - am I missing something? I suggested using towels and washing them but he said HECK NO how do you launder yours? Bleach?

I was inspired by aart to make a brooder plate like this, but I made some modifications that got rid of the need for a towel (or pillow case, or press-n-seal, or other such things that other people use for their MHPs). Instead of a rack, I use a wooden board. Plywood, OSB, real wood, whatever you have lying around. Then just bungee the heating pad to the underside of the board, and you're all set! They can walk and sit on top of the board and you don't worry about them pooping on it. Nothing for you to wash but the fabric case that the heating pad comes in, at the end when you're done with the setup, but that won't have poop on it - just chick dander - so you can put it in the washing machine without your husband freaking out I washed mine together with the kids' clothes. The kids' clothes were much dirtier and had all kinds of bodily fluids on them, so...