YO GEORGIANS! :)

Lookin4GoodLife · Apr 8, 2018

Here's a link to the Mama Heating Pad thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

Here's a link to the Trials and Tribulations of Meat Birds thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ons-of-suburban-meat-bird-production.1115689/

Very informative if you're interested in raising meat birds. He does a good job of detailing how he changes from grow-out to grow-out to get the best performance of his birds.

Rocky Rhodes · Apr 8, 2018

Lookin4GoodLife said:
Here's a link to the Mama Heating Pad thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

Here's a link to the Trials and Tribulations of Meat Birds thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ons-of-suburban-meat-bird-production.1115689/

Very informative if you're interested in raising meat birds. He does a good job of detailing how he changes from grow-out to grow-out to get the best performance of his birds.

Thank you, I think I'm going to try this. I had never heard about cooler temps causing faster feathering, but that sounds logical. Thanx for the links, I've got some reading to do.

meskew187 · Apr 8, 2018

GAMarans said:
Donkeys ... that will solve the coyote problem for you.

I've wanted a donkey for years lol hubby is still saying no

I'm gonna try again

eclecktic1 · Apr 9, 2018

I have used mama heating pad with a heating pad wrapped around a wire frame trash can I had. (I was only brooding a few.) I secured it with Glad Press-n-Seal wrap. The birds can adjust the amount of heat they want. I didn't have a thermometer small enough to put in the "nest" without disturbing the chicks, but putting my hand inside when most were busy elsewhere, it was comfortably warm.

Lookin4GoodLife · Apr 10, 2018

eclecktic1 said:
I have used mama heating pad with a heating pad wrapped around a wire frame trash can I had. (I was only brooding a few.) I secured it with Glad Press-n-Seal wrap. The birds can adjust the amount of heat they want. I didn't have a thermometer small enough to put in the "nest" without disturbing the chicks, but putting my hand inside when most were busy elsewhere, it was comfortably warm.

That seems to be what everyone uses. I just threw some old shop rags over the top and will change them out and wash them when they get soiled. Every time I use any type of plastic wrap, I usually end up with a wad of plastic trying to find an end to straighten it out.

My garage/shop is usually a good bit cooler (or hotter in hot weather) than the rest of the house, but the chicks seem to be running around doing well. Plus with the MHP, when a noise startles them, they all run up under it like they would a mama or shelter if a hawk or something showed up, so I think that's good that they're learning how to hide at such a young age with no adult mentor to show them that. It's amazing to me how a day old baby that was hatched in an incubator and has had no adult training at all knows how to scratch around in the litter to find food, how to hide from scary things, how to huddle together for warmth.... I've even got a runty one who likes to sit out in the middle peeping and complaining (she shows no signs of injury or distress, she just seems like a "complainer") and another one who will sit there by her side looking at her like she's concerned about her.

My adult chickens do some seemingly incredibly stupid things at times, but by and large, chickens seem like some pretty bright creatures to me.

Lookin4GoodLife · Apr 10, 2018

eclecktic1 said:
I have used mama heating pad with a heating pad wrapped around a wire frame trash can I had.

And oh yeah, that's a good idea with the trash can. A lot of folks seem to form wire arcs like a mini-quonset hut type structure and that seems to work well too. Like a lot of good ideas you see on the internet, this one seems to be very versatile and configurable to pretty much any setup you would have. I guess it's a bit more expensive if you buy a heating pad with thermostat like I did (think it was about 35 bucks) but if you're going to be raising chicks regularly down the road, it'll probably pay for itself over time I would think.

Lookin4GoodLife · Apr 10, 2018

Oh BTW Rocky Rhodes, I checked Vivosun's web site and they claim the 10x20 heat pad uses 18 watts. Coupled with the thermostat that cycles the pad on and off for your preset temperature, I'm guessing you'd save a good bit of electricity over a 250W bulb that's on all the time. Too early in the morning for me to try to convert that to a dollars and cents amount, but seems to be a good deal to me.

Again, if you're a one or two timer who wants to raise a few chickens for pets, it may not be a big deal, but if you're raising chicks regularly, over time I guess it would at least pay for itself, plus I was always worried about my heat lamp falling into the litter starting a fire even though I called myself anchoring it firmly.

Rocky Rhodes · Apr 10, 2018

Lookin4GoodLife said:
Oh BTW Rocky Rhodes, I checked Vivosun's web site and they claim the 10x20 heat pad uses 18 watts. Coupled with the thermostat that cycles the pad on and off for your preset temperature, I'm guessing you'd save a good bit of electricity over a 250W bulb that's on all the time. Too early in the morning for me to try to convert that to a dollars and cents amount, but seems to be a good deal to me. Again, if you're a one or two timer who wants to raise a few chickens for pets, it may not be a big deal, but if you're raising chicks regularly, over time I guess it would at least pay for itself, plus I was always worried about my heat lamp falling into the litter starting a fire even though I called myself anchoring it firmly.

Thanks for the info. Hmmmm... 18 watts vs. 250 watts. No math or conversion needed. Approximately 45 times more energy to run a 250 watt heat lamp. :eek: