Seedling Heating May for Nestboxes?

[Farmgirl1878]

Has anyone ever tried using a heated seedling mat (with a thermostat) in the nest box to keep eggs from freezing? We have sand in the nestboxes, so was thinking these would work well to keep the eggs just above freezing…

https://smile.amazon.com/VIVOHOME-Seedling-Digital-Thermostat-Controller/dp/B07J56XYN6/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=1CUVL1KR6U243&keywords=seedling+mat+with+temperature+control&qid=1642798352&sprefix=Seedling+mat+,aps,266&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzRzRGUkJYWEEyN080JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTk3MTA3M01aQldNQ1ZTMEZIUSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTAzNzIyM1JIWFZFU1VCWlJVWiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[aart]

I think @DobieLover has that.

And @RonP, long gone now:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/heated-nesting-boxes-help-stop-frozen-eggs.67252/

 

[DobieLover]

I think @DobieLover has that.

And @RonP, long gone now:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/heated-nesting-boxes-help-stop-frozen-eggs.67252/

Yes I did.
However, I wired the receptacles so they are switch controlled. I could use a thermocube but I prefer to control them myself.
They have prevented eggs from freezing in low teen weather...when the hens actually lay in the boxes instead of stashing one on the coop floor for me to find on a sub-zero morning.

I've also noticed that one of my older hens has figured out she can warm her feet in there. I've noticed her on several occasions standing in a box preening for several minutes then coming back out. She is not currently laying.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I knew @aart and @DobieLover would know!! FYI, I ordered the mat that comes with a thermostat. I’ll letcha know how it goes!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Why not?

1. They're not designed to be bent and wrapped around anything (wiring damage)
2. There's no reason to keep your chicken's feet warm. When they sit on a roost they warm their feet with their own body heat.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I got two Salmon Faverolles chicks, one Partridge Cochin, and one Barnevelder.

Here‘s my tiny Barnevelder having lunch with my alpha Salmon Faverolles, Butterfly.

All four chicklets hanging out in the run with the rest of the Flockers.

Some of the Flockers.

 

[chickfused]

My coop is unheated and their water regularly freezes solid for about 4-6 weeks per year. We have chickens with frostbite every year here. TN has a short, but often brutal, winter well into the negative temperatures.

Understood about the wires bending. I had hoped that by adding supplmental heat to sit on, that it may help keep the overall bird warmer.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I did use these in the nest boxes this year. They worked quite well! No frozen eggs and no loitering…

I have one in the nestbox that my broody is using to raise her four chicklets right now and they all seem to LOVE it! When I used the mat during the winter, I removed all the sand, put the mat down, and then replaced the sand. This month, we had some rainy weather with highs in the fifties, so I grabbed a mat, moved some sand aside, and then covered the mat with a much thinner layer of sand. Because the insulating layer was thinner, the sand actually felt warm to the touch. The chicklets stayed nice and warm and didn’t have to spend as much time under Blue’s fluffy, hot butt. It stayed cold, so I brought the flat heating plate brooders out and set one up in the coop and the larger one in the run. They run under there to take short breaks in the morning, eat a little chow, nap for a few minutes and then run out for more fun with the Bigs. I’m SO glad I thought of doing that as it probably saved my tiny Barnevelder.

 

[chickfused]

Nope, I live in a wee valley and it only takes a few hours to have issues. We always get above zero during the day, but we do spend a couple of weeks not breaking the teens. One poor girl had an off color comb for a few months and one of my roos lost the tip of one point. Don't think it's ventilation, but I increased that this year as well.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I haven't. A trick I've heard is, you down size on the nesting boxes to prevent freezing eggs. That way, all the hens are coming in and out warming the eggs as they lay their eggs.

As far as putting something warm in the nesting box, I'd be worried that the hens would never leave. They'd want to stay where it is warm.