On top of mama heating cave

[10AcreChick]

What does everyone use to cover their mama heating pad cave? I have a metal frame that the heating pad is hooked onto the bottom of, so the chicks can cuddle underneath. Of course they also love to sit (and poop) on top. I always end up slipping the whole thing into a big old pillowcase, bungeeing it back into shape, and then covering the top with a couple of washable dog pads. But the pillowcases are often unsalvagable by the time the chicks are done with them, and I am running out of old pillow cases!

Anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[nuthatched]

Press n seal is what I remember reading.

 

[AOrchard]

I put mine inside a cardboard box with a hole cut in the side.

With a large group of chicks, I once attached a small cage to a large one. I turned the whole small cage into a heating cave by inserting slats of wood halfway up the cage, and then laying a large heating pad on top of this. Then I laid a towel over the heating pad, and pinned the towel to the sides of the cage. By pinning the towel to all four sides of the cage, the chicks couldn't get on top of the heating pad. Much cleaner. As they grew I moved the slats up to give them more space from the heating pad. It wasn't pretty but it was very functional.

 

[junior67]

I put mine inside a cardboard box with a hole cut in the side.

With a large group of chicks, I once attached a small cage to a large one. I turned the whole small cage into a heating cave by inserting slats of wood halfway up the cage, and then laying a large heating pad on top of this. Then I laid a towel over the heating pad, and pinned the towel to the sides of the cage. By pinning the towel to all four sides of the cage, the chicks couldn't get on top of the heating pad. Much cleaner. As they grew I moved the slats up to give them more space from the heating pad. It wasn't pretty but it was very functional.

Last year I covered a hand towel in press n seal and then just took the press n seal off when it was dirty and replaced it. it worked well. but this year I am trying cardboard with the press n seal on it to see how that works.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wrap my heating pad in Press N Seal, and then top the entire frame with a piece of cardboard. Both are easy to remove and toss when done, and I'm left with a clean frame and clean heating pad for next time.

 

[10AcreChick]

Last year I covered a hand towel in press n seal and then just took the press n seal off when it was dirty and replaced it. it worked well. but this year I am trying cardboard with the press n seal on it to see how that works.

I keep hearing press and seal. Think I'll try that! Thanks!

 

[Blooie]

I always use Press ‘n’, but never on the heating pad itself. It will leave a sticky residue from the heat, and that’s not good. Here’s a suggestion for you…..hit your local thrift shop or Goodwill and buy a stack of threadbare towels or pillowcases. That way it’s not painful to toss them when they finally are beyond use.

 

[NatJ]

I am running out of old pillow cases!

Anyone have any other suggestions?

Old t-shirts?

Make more pillowcases out of old sheets? (Very easy if you have a sewing machine, especially if it only needs to last through one round of chicks-- they don't care if your seams or hems are crooked!)

 

[rosemarythyme]

I always use Press ‘n’, but never on the heating pad itself. It will leave a sticky residue from the heat, and that’s not good. Here’s a suggestion for you…..hit your local thrift shop or Goodwill and buy a stack of threadbare towels or pillowcases. That way it’s not painful to toss them when they finally are beyond use.

Interesting. I've never had an issue with Press N Seal on the heating pad, maybe its because mine has tended to run on the cooler side so it doesn't heat up enough to warp the plastic.

I will note that I use the wrap over the included heating pad cover.

 

[Blooie]

Interesting. I've never had an issue with Press N Seal on the heating pad, maybe its because mine has tended to run on the cooler side so it doesn't heat up enough to warp the plastic.

I will note that I use the wrap over the included heating pad cover.

I have never done the P&S on the heating pad cover myself, but I seem to recall that a few years ago on the Mama Heating thread someone (or more than one someone)said they had the problem with the adhesive residue left on the heating pad cover. That’s why I mentioned it.