Can anyone answer YlwbrchHobbyFarms question about how long a large heating plate would fit for her 46 chicks? That is a question I asked about my 25 incoming chicks, and got no answer to that. It seems to me that the 50 chick size plate is adequate for 50 day-old chicks, but they would quickly outgrow it -long before they had feathers and could be without heat. But, I'm curious how fast the chicks (Barred Rocks and New Hampshires) will grow, so that I know how long I could expect the heating plate to suffice for 25 chicks.
I don't know that they are actually staying under mama much when they are getting their feathers in....I put 20 CX chicks under a WR hen and they only fit under her for a week and then they had to pile under, on top and beside her. I'd assume they will use this heat plate in much the same manner....by that time they are using one another for heat as much as they use the mama. I called this company to check and see if the top of the heat plate has any heat or warmth whatsoever and they said it did have some measure of warmth. Nice for chick toes.