Brooder Plate set up ok? Babies tomorrow!!

[HensInTheForest]

We are getting first babies tomorrow!!

I have seen photos on blogs of both paper towels and or just a grip kitchen liner placed on top to keep meeses down. I know I should have bought the cover but oh well.

This ok?

I draped it down a bit over the edge for more cover but don't want it to cause issues and just rip it off there too.

It's nice and warm underneath and plate is pretty warm to the touch. I bought the adjustable heat controller but plan to probably just raise it up as we go and leave it full on until they tell me it's too hot and experiment with height.

Kitchen grip liner covers half the tent floor with paper towels on top for the first couple days.

Will try to post some pics this weekend.

Thanks for all the great advice and wonderful resources here. I have learned so much in 4 weeks!!!

 

[Ebony Rose]

For your first couple of days you won't need any covering at all, they don't hop up until they're a fully rested (at least two days) and feeling stronger. You should get a solid four or five days before they start climbing onto the 'furniture'.
Have you considered those thin plastic cutting sheets that you can often buy at your grocery or dollar store; the 'cheapo cutting board' type that only lasts a few uses for the purpose intended, but could last quite a while for this sort of application. You'll want to buy the dome for this unit eventually as (I own the product you pictured with the dome) it makes climbing onto your 'furniture' impossible and the chick-dust washes right off once your chicks have finished brooding. I'm concerned that paper toweling might be too easy to ignite.

On a different note: You mentioned this is your first time with new babies...so... assuming it's also your first time using this sort of heating device.

To maximize comfort of your little ones, place two of the four legs at a lower altitude than the other two, as this heating method works by the chick placing their head UP onto the heating plate to gain warmth. If a chick wishes to lie down AND keep warm, they'll gravitate towards the end that has the least distance between bottom of the legs and the plate. In my setup, I put the 'low end' towards the back so that I can peek under and see all the chicks without moving the device. For those chicks that are wide awake, wishing to sit/stand upright, they'll move closer to the area that has more space between plate and floor. As your babies grow taller, remember to raise the legs one click each, maintaining a lower and higher end but overall giving them more space underneath the plate. This brooding plate has been a Godsend for me, no more constant temperature checks and worrying about chicks falling asleep and broiling themselves under a heating LAMP. FAR less occurrences of pasty butt too.

Oh pasty butt... if they get poo stuck on their bum-fuzz, be sure to GENTLY wash that up with as little water as possible and without pulling or tugging (on anything) (they still have an umbilical cord that is drying and their intestines are too easy to pull out of a chick at this age, so pull/tug on NOTHING). This condition, pasty butt, blocks the chick from pooping, causing a buildup of toxic fecal matter that can kill a chick in a day. So... dirty butt? clean it up.

 

[Weeg]

Where are you getting your chicks from? Are they shipped? If they are shipped or from a feed store, then a heat lamp is probably your best bet.
Shipped chicks are very chilled during shipping, and heat lamps are the only thing that will raise their body temp quick enough. They also heat the air around them, which is crucial for the chicks.
After 5-7 days for the heat lamp, you can switch back to the heat plate, which I love. I'm pro heat plate so nice work with that!

 

[HensInTheForest]

Where are you getting your chicks from? Are they shipped? If they are shipped or from a feed store, then a heat lamp is probably your best bet.
Shipped chicks are very chilled during shipping, and heat lamps are the only thing that will raise their body temp quick enough. They also heat the air around them, which is crucial for the chicks.
After 5-7 days for the heat lamp, you can switch back to the heat plate, which I love. I'm pro heat plate so nice work with that!

We are getting them from the farm store. They arrived there Tuesday and some on Wed and they care for them in large tubs under heat lamps for a few days before they allow pickups.

Know idea how I would affix a heat lamp inside this tent safely.

I may grab one today from the store but can’t really hang it in anyway safely in this pop up tent.

Top half of walls and all of roof is open screen for good vent.

 

[HensInTheForest]

For your first couple of days you won't need any covering at all, they don't hop up until they're a fully rested (at least two days) and feeling stronger. You should get a solid four or five days before they start climbing onto the 'furniture'.
Have you considered those thin plastic cutting sheets that you can often buy at your grocery or dollar store; the 'cheapo cutting board' type that only lasts a few uses for the purpose intended, but could last quite a while for this sort of application. You'll want to buy the dome for this unit eventually as (I own the product you pictured with the dome) it makes climbing onto your 'furniture' impossible and the chick-dust washes right off once your chicks have finished brooding. I'm concerned that paper toweling might be too easy to ignite.

On a different note: You mentioned this is your first time with new babies...so... assuming it's also your first time using this sort of heating device.

To maximize comfort of your little ones, place two of the four legs at a lower altitude than the other two, as this heating method works by the chick placing their head UP onto the heating plate to gain warmth. If a chick wishes to lie down AND keep warm, they'll gravitate towards the end that has the least distance between bottom of the legs and the plate. In my setup, I put the 'low end' towards the back so that I can peek under and see all the chicks without moving the device. For those chicks that are wide awake, wishing to sit/stand upright, they'll move closer to the area that has more space between plate and floor. As your babies grow taller, remember to raise the legs one click each, maintaining a lower and higher end but overall giving them more space underneath the plate. This brooding plate has been a Godsend for me, no more constant temperature checks and worrying about chicks falling asleep and broiling themselves under a heating LAMP. FAR less occurrences of pasty butt too.

Oh pasty butt... if they get poo stuck on their bum-fuzz, be sure to GENTLY wash that up with as little water as possible and without pulling or tugging (on anything) (they still have an umbilical cord that is drying and their intestines are too easy to pull out of a chick at this age, so pull/tug on NOTHING). This condition, pasty butt, blocks the chick from pooping, causing a buildup of toxic fecal matter that can kill a chick in a day. So... dirty butt? clean it up.

Thanks so much!

You see in the pic the one side is lowered down for them. Looks pretty small in there it’s on the lowest mark on the legs. It’s 1 1/2 inches in the rear and 2 inches on the taller side.

I was looking at those plastic sheets when I was thinking about making a divider. I will look again at that thank you!

The farm store got them in Tuesday and Wed so they have been under heat lamps since then and getting electrolytes and food. So I am thankful we are not getting a shipped box today it’s still cold here, 25 degrees outside now.

I will keep a small washcloth ready with warm water to handle their butts and maybe blow them dry I don’t know if that noise would scare them. Seen others on here doing that too . .

Thanks for chiming in!

 

[RoyalChick]

Thanks so much!

You see in the pic the one side is lowered down for them. Looks pretty small in there it’s on the lowest mark on the legs. It’s 1 1/2 inches in the rear and 2 inches on the taller side.

I was looking at those plastic sheets when I was thinking about making a divider. I will look again at that thank you!

The farm store got them in Tuesday and Wed so they have been under heat lamps since then and getting electrolytes and food. So I am thankful we are not getting a shipped box today it’s still cold here, 25 degrees outside now.

I will keep a small washcloth ready with warm water to handle their butts and maybe blow them dry I don’t know if that noise would scare them. Seen others on here doing that too . .

Thanks for chiming in!

No need for a lamp if they have been in the store under heat - the plate will be more than fine.
I got the top for my plate but don't use it because it decreases their play area. I take a carboard tray - the kind you get if you but a phole tray of cat food cans or whatever. I slit holes where the 'posts' are so I can sit it on top of the heat plate. I then fill it with coarse pine shavings. Once they are big enough to get up there they are big enough to play in the shavings. Fun for everyone!

 

[Weeg]

No need for a lamp if they have been in the store under heat - the plate will be more than fine.
I got the top for my plate but don't use it because it decreases their play area. I take a carboard tray - the kind you get if you but a phole tray of cat food cans or whatever. I slit holes where the 'posts' are so I can sit it on top of the heat plate. I then fill it with coarse pine shavings. Once they are big enough to get up there they are big enough to play in the shavings. Fun for everyone!

Agreed about the lamp. Just watch their behavior OP and make sure they don't seem chilled. They should be fine though.

 

[HensInTheForest]

No need for a lamp if they have been in the store under heat - the plate will be more than fine.
I got the top for my plate but don't use it because it decreases their play area. I take a carboard tray - the kind you get if you but a phole tray of cat food cans or whatever. I slit holes where the 'posts' are so I can sit it on top of the heat plate. I then fill it with coarse pine shavings. Once they are big enough to get up there they are big enough to play in the shavings. Fun for everyone!

Great idea!! Doing that!!