April 2020 Hatch-A-Long! All are welcome!

[Ted_Harrell]

Hopefully they will all hatch(one dozen)...

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Have you ever put a thermometer under your heat plate to see what the temp is? Just curious if mine is indeed too cold. They have a huge brooder (thanks to my hubby). Is 4x3x2 tall. So there’s plenty of room to roam!

Hear plates work by the chicks touching their back to them to warm up. Not radiant heat. So I don’t think the temperature below the heat plate is a good indication if it’s working well or not. What does it feel like when you hold your hand against the heat plate?

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

I'm going to be hatching some Cochins later this month. We are so excited!

 

[Akoharski4]

Hear plates work by the chicks touching their back to them to warm up. Not radiant heat. So I don’t think the temperature below the heat plate is a good indication if it’s working well or not. What does it feel like when you hold your hand against the heat plate?

It’s definitely hot to the touch.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Have you ever put a thermometer under your heat plate to see what the temp is? Just curious if mine is indeed too cold. They have a huge brooder (thanks to my hubby). Is 4x3x2 tall. So there’s plenty of room to roam!

No I haven't, but I can put one under there and heat it up.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

It’s definitely hot to the touch.

I would say it's probably fine then. You want it to be hot to the touch but not burn your fingers. I also keep mine at a tilt so that the plate is lower in the back and higher in the front. The chicks can stand and have their back touching the plate or lay down.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

It’s definitely hot to the touch.

I would agree it’s probably fine as long as you have it low enough for them to touch. All I use is heating plates! I love them.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

7 babies are out for me with 1 zipping. 2 Splash, and either 3 blue and 2 black or vice versa. I am not great at telling while they are still wet! I have 1 other pipped and looking good, a couple with pips that I think are turned Face down so that I can’t see them or remember which they were and one is pipped but the beak is totally still and looks a little crusty and I believe that baby passed.

 

[Akoharski4]

I would agree it’s probably fine as long as you have it low enough for them to touch. All I use is heating plates! I love them.

Thanks so much to you both! I had this giant heat plate out in my coop for my spoiled girls all winter. After sanitizing it, I brought it in here and made a stand for it in the brooder. I think I made the stand too high because they can’t press their backs up against it.
I actually made my husband run to our feed store to grab this heat lamp today but I’m super nervous about it. I’ve heard and seen horror stories. I’ll probably use it for this first week or so and probably by next week they’ll be tall enough to touch the heat plate.

 

[gmjarvi]

I love love love my heat plate. I wish I had a couple more of the small ones and a large one for the grow out brooder. I like that they're a bit safer than heat lamps, but I think a heat lamp can be just fine when used properly. I feel like the heat plates make hardier birds, though, since the heat is only under the plate and they have to move away from the heat source to eat, drink, etc.

My ducks hated the plate, and outgrew it quickly anyway, so I've been using a heat lamp for them and one in the grow out pen as well since those chicks are too big for the plate now. My bantams and recent hatchlings love it, though.