Is anyone using the Premier "heat plate" brooder for chicks?

[SIMZ]

The chick waterer is $5

Legbands aren't very expensive, either. It's always something I don't get because I hate to pay the shipping. This time I could buy them to NOT pay shipping.

No more zipties for me!

 

[SIMZ]

I had a opossum get into my pen and kill my mama hen leaving her chick motherless. I had to bring the chick in and put her in the brooder with my other chicks. She is much larger then my other chicks and could not get under the heat plate even though I did raise it a bit. She opted for the top of it, which is warm. Now my other chicks have figured out how to get on top of the heat plate and they are all using it for a launching pad to try out their wings. They have all been taking their little cat naps on top more then under it today.

While they are making a poo mess on the top of it, it is easy to wipe off. I had thought about getting the cover for the heat plate to keep chicks off the top but now that I see how much use they are getting out of the top as well as under the heat plate, I am glad I didn't get the cover. They are super funny to watch and are having a blast.

Penny

I'm so sorry about your hen! I'm glad it's working out with the heat plate, though. It's sounds adorable!

 

[4stakes]

How do you keep the saran wrap on the brooder? tape?

 

[Caitlin_VT]

Use saran wrap press-n-seal - much more durable.

 

[henless]

I got my Premier heat plate in yesterday. I had to get the smaller one since the large one was out of stock. I plugged it in to see how it works, seems to work just fine. Sitting on the kitchen table, you could feel that right under it the table was warm, but not hot. The area around the plate was still cool. The underside did not feel overly hot to me either.


So, had to try it out for real!

Here it is, set up in my watermelon brooder. Can anyone spot my chicks? They shouldn't be hard to find, I have 15 of them in there.




OH! There they are!!




I was worried the small one would not be big enough. On my box, it says this size is good for 20-25 chicks. I don't know how well it will fit when they get older, but should be fine. Right now they range in age from 4 days to 11 days.


I really like the heat plate. The chicks hunker down and barely cheep at all. I think they like it too well. I go out every hour or so and move the heat plate so they will get up and eat/drink.

Here's a few shots taken while they are under the heat plate.







They seem to have plenty of room. Here's a shot of them line dancing! LOL




I do have the front raised up a couple of notches higher than the back. I also had to put them underneath to start with. Once they found out how nice and warm it was, they settled down and got comfy.

I love it so far. I'll report back in a week or so and let everyone know how its working.

 

[melroseladi]

I am wanting to get another large one for the outside brooder I am in the middle of building but I don't want to make the investment without knowing what ambient temp it is good for. I sent Premier an email last night asking them. They emailed back this morning saying they did not know but are going to check on it with the manufacturer and would get back to me. While I am in Florida we do get some cold nights and I really don't want to have to use heat lamps anymore. I want to be able to keep the chicks indoors for 7-10 days to make sure they have a good start and then move them to the outdoor brooder so I really am going to need at least 2 heat plates.

Penny

 

[Tomtommom]

I've been using mine since yesterday. LOVE IT!

I got the babies home, showed one how to get under it and the rest followed. Within half an hour of purchase, they were sound asleep! I have never seen chicks settle down so quickly.

Today they've been out and about a lot, I really expected them to be under there more. They've been rather cheepey, but hey, that's their choice... they go under it if they need to.

They actually already managed to climb on top (and poop on it). One chick jumped off and tried to flap it's little wing nubs haha. Jumped half a foot!

 

[seminolewind]

Tomtommom, I'm glad your chicks are enjoying it. I would imagine they will come out and play pretty often like when a hen has them.

 

[Tomtommom]

Tomtommom, I'm glad your chicks are enjoying it. I would imagine they will come out and play pretty often like when a hen has them.

The most remarkable thing is their day/night cycle. The moment it starts getting darker and the house quiets down as the kids go to bed (7pm), they go to bed too. Not a single sound from under that plate until the alarm clock goes off in the morning.

Quite the difference from the nights with the red lamp and there would be chicken shenanigans all night.

 

[Beekissed]

The most remarkable thing is their day/night cycle. The moment it starts getting darker and the house quiets down as the kids go to bed (7pm), they go to bed too. Not a single sound from under that plate until the alarm clock goes off in the morning.

Quite the difference from the nights with the red lamp and there would be chicken shenanigans all night.

I noticed that for broody chicks too...night time is bed time, not eating, drinking and running around time. Children grow more in their sleep and I'm sure it's true of chicks as well, with a long rest cycle and then daylight activity. I'm so glad you all are reporting on this plate as I just bought one of these for my bestie and I want it to be a safe and worry free way for her to brood her chicks. She was worried about a heat lamp.