I'm going to weigh in on this super old thread. I have 1 black and 2 red sex linked hens. They are 5 years and 3 months old. They all still lay, almost every day (not in winter). One is broody now, for the first time.
We’ve used the Premier Chick Brooder heat plate for both sets of chicks we’ve had and I highly recommend it! Honestly, I’ve never been comfortable with the thought of using the lamps, especially unattended.
