Brooder Heating Plate vs Infrared Bulb

[KikiLeigh02]

So helpful! Thank you all so much!

 

[AlleysChicks]

I like both. Lamp for large quantities of chicks because even if the plate says 20 it’s more like 10 when freshly hatched. As they get bigger they are harder to keep warm. Not bad in summer but cooler temps is where it’ll get you.

 

[The Farmers' Daughter]

I have 2 of the premier 1 plates. A 20 chick plate for brooding inside and a 50 chick plate for brooding outside. I never looked back, for several reasons

1. Using a heater plate gets the chicks used to day/night cycles
2. They won't make your chicks too hot
3. It allows chicks to harden to the ambient temps much quicker, like being under a mama hen
4. There is MUCH less fire risk than with a bulb (I actually almost had a coop fire once because my chickens knocked the light over into the pine shavings).

I would recommend Premier 1's plates over Brinsea for a couple reasons.

• They are less expensive
• Are rated to work at lower ambient temps (I've had mine work well in the teens F, Brinsea works best at 45F or higher).
• Brinsea plates have caused fires in the last few years

And you can buy domed covers for the premiere plates if you don't want to deal with cleaning poop off the top. They love climbing up on top of the plate.

 

[The Farmers' Daughter]

And yes, I got covers for both mine. Though I've heard from some people that they use Glad Press-n-seal on the top so they could set premier's chick nipple waterers on top to prevent the water freezing but keep the plates clean

Putting the waterer on top is a neat idea. I was thinking of using adhesive shelf paper from the dollar store. Just peel off and replace with each use. (We don't have press n seal here).

 

[K_Elise]

Just came across your post. If you are still deciding if you should get a heat plate or not, I would recommend getting the premier 1. I just got the small one, up to 15 chicks, and my chicks love it. It is amazing. They are so happy and sleep well. No fire hazard. And you won't burn yourself when you need to adjust the legs. I do it when it is on and the chicks are sleeping under it. They won't move when I stick my hand under the heat plate to adjust things. They just sleep and peep at me when I accidentally wake them up.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Thank you so much! That's the one I got! I think I'm going to try to make a Momma Heating Pad too and see which on the chicks prefer.

 

[K_Elise]

Thank you so much! That's the one I got! I think I'm going to try to make a Momma Heating Pad too and see which on the chicks prefer.

I think that is a great idea. In my chick brooder I have the heat plate and also a fleece blanket and wool socks full of beans that I warm up for them. They love using the fleece blanket and wool socks as pillows

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Well I have bantams and standards in the incubator. I'm going to separate them after they hatch and make a MHP for the batams anyway. I'm worried that even at the lowest height they won't get enough heat from the brooding plate. Since I'm going to make one anyway I figure it won't be much trouble to make two so I can compare and see which the standard size chicks prefer.

 

[happyfrenchman]

I do not have a heat plate or I would use it over the IR bulb which has many negatives (IMO). ..... (I use a reptile heating element.... it is like a bulb but only gives off heat.) I have it hard mounted in a ceramic socket in one corner of the brooder and the chicks can go as close as they care to underneath it. It really is plenty for here in Georgia.

 

[wamtazlady]

I've used an IR bulb, Mama's heating pad, and heat plate. Love the heat plate the most. Heating pad also worked well but I had to modify my system as time went on to keep it at the right height. So easy to adjust the plate. The one thing I noticed about using the pad and the plate is how quiet the chicks are. When I used the IR bulb the chicks were always chirping. With the other two systems I would regularly check the chicks to make sure they were alive. They were just so quiet and content.