Brooder Plate and Unheated Garage

[SeeRoe]

Hi All,

I have a brooder heat plate sized for 30 chicks, for my 16x 2 week old chicks. For now they're inside a large plastic tote in my house and doing well. I'd like to move them to a much larger wood box brooder in my garage but I'm concerned about temperature.

This week's lows are in the low 30s F. Is that too cold for 2 week old chicks + a brooder plate? If so, what age can I move them out with lows in the 30s?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Sally PB]

I'd like to move them to a much larger wood box brooder in my garage but I'm concerned about temperature.

Check the specs on your heater plate. It will probably have info on the necessary ambient temperature needed for it to keep the chicks warm enough. In other words, below a certain temp, it might not "keep up."

 

[SeeRoe]

Check the specs on your heater plate. It will probably have info on the necessary ambient temperature needed for it to keep the chicks warm enough. In other words, below a certain temp, it might not "keep up."

It says >50F, but I assume that's for baby chicks. At what age can the brooder plate "keep up" with the cooler temps when considering older birds?

 

[Sally PB]

I would interpret that as the plate itself needs to be in ambient temps above 50F.

@3KillerBs, you had a situation like this, I think...?

 

[SeeRoe]

I would think the plate wouldn't stop working below 50F, just that below that the radiant heat wouldn't be sufficient to keep the day old chicks comfortable. My thoughts were that at 3 weeks (maybe?) they have enough feathers and mass to stay warm where at day old they don't.

 

[SeeRoe]

FYI I called Brinsea (plate mfg.) and their response was that at 3 weeks it's possible they're feathered enough to be below 50F + brooder plate but just pay attention and see how they respond. While that was my plan, I was hoping to get some feedback from folks using these plates and see if anyone had used them for a few week old birds at 30F or around there.

 

[3KillerBs]

I would interpret that as the plate itself needs to be in ambient temps above 50F.

@3KillerBs, you had a situation like this, I think...?

Yes, that's my interpretation of the limitations of the plates.

What I do in cold weather with my outdoor brooder is to use a heat lamp to keep the area around the plate over 50F and to keep the water thawed and use the plate to keep the chicks warm.

 

[SeeRoe]

That's a good idea, if I'm only going from 30F to 50F, do you think I need one of those large red bulbs? Or something smaller/safer will do? I'm going to be building the brooder this week so I could build it so that a fixture can sit right above that area.

One of the main reasons to buy the plate was for a safe alternatives to bulbs, but I'm having trouble with the fact that it's radiant heat and can't measure temps like a bulb etc. and leaving a lot of quesitons.

 

[3KillerBs]

That's a good idea, if I'm only going from 30F to 50F, do you think I need one of those large red bulbs? Or something smaller/safer will do? I'm going to be building the brooder this week so I could build it so that a fixture can sit right above that area.

One of the main reasons to buy the plate was for a safe alternatives to bulbs, but I'm having trouble with the fact that it's radiant heat and can't measure temps like a bulb etc. and leaving a lot of quesitons.

That's hard to say.

It's going to depend on the nature of the space it's in and how you set it up.

 

[HenSolo123]

I moved mine to their tiny coop outside at around 3 weeks (and they are bantam breeds) with just a plate. They all did well! First two nights were freezing temps so I put a tarp over the coop at night to help insulate some heat as mine weren't in a garage, but after that I let them be. Last night I removed the heat plate at 5.5 to 7 weeks of age, and did just a hot water bottle. At 35° they were all still good this morning! I think theyd be okay in your case. as meantioned, watch their behavior for signs