BYC's 2025 Spooktacular Halloween Hatch-Along

[african chickens]

Hey guys sorry for not posting much today there's been so much happening.

Does anyone know how high a heat plate should be for new chicks? I just got one to start using after using heat lamps for years.

We started with 30 eggs
27 made it to lockdown
19 have hatched

 

[redinator]

Hey guys sorry for not posting much today there's been so much happening.

Does anyone know how high a heat plate should be for new chicks? I just got one to start using after using heat lamps for years.

We started with 30 eggs
27 made it to lockdown
19 have hatched
View attachment 4240673
View attachment 4240672

Brooder plates don't emit heat outwards like a heat lamp does. I have mine at an angle so they can walk under, but it touches their backs the further under it they go. You'll have to adjust the height a bit every few days as they grow. I also have it angled towards the inside of the brooder, not the outside. That way when (not if) they start hopping on it they'll slide towards the middle of the brooder and not get stuck between the wall and plate.

Edited to add picture:

 

[african chickens]

Brooder plates don't emit heat outwards like a heat lamp does. I have mine at an angle so they can walk under, but it touches their backs the further under it they go. You'll have to adjust the height a bit every few days as they grow. I also have it angled towards the inside of the brooder, not the outside. That way when (not if) they start hopping on it they'll slide towards the middle of the brooder and not get stuck between the wall and plate.

Edited to add picture:
View attachment 4240681

Thanks so much. I will add a pic of my brooder in a minute once I finish actually setting it up

 

[Rooski456]

And down the rabbit hole we go, lol. If you have a camera that would be awesome, then you could send the rest of us pictures

When I had different sized eggs in the same hatch I had some pip on day 18 just after increasing the humidity, but not start to unzip until hours (4-5) later. I had another egg start to wiggle the same day, but it didn't pip until day 21. I also had a few small eggs only take 3-4 (ETA: hours) from pip to fully hatched.

I don't think a few hours one way or the other makes a ton of difference (ETA: at this stage). If you'd rather be there when they start to hatch hold off on increasing the humidity, but prepare for a sleepless night (or a few).

I literally so far down the rabbit hole haha. I posted this and ran off to make it happen and now I’m all set up and ready to go, minus bumping humidity tomorrow.

 

[Rooski456]

Hey guys sorry for not posting much today there's been so much happening.

Does anyone know how high a heat plate should be for new chicks? I just got one to start using after using heat lamps for years.

We started with 30 eggs
27 made it to lockdown
19 have hatched
View attachment 4240673
View attachment 4240672

They’re so cute!!

 

[jxp]

Hey guys sorry for not posting much today there's been so much happening.

Does anyone know how high a heat plate should be for new chicks? I just got one to start using after using heat lamps for years.

We started with 30 eggs
27 made it to lockdown
19 have hatched
View attachment 4240673
View attachment 4240672

 

[african chickens]

The brooder so far, just need to tape the temporary barrier, and figure out this heat plate. So chicks will go in tomorrow.

 

[Rooski456]

It’s finally lockdown day!!! I am so excited to see everyone’s chicks progress over the next few days. Come on little chickies!

 

[jxp]

 

[Kiki]

View attachment 4240711
The brooder so far, just need to tape the temporary barrier, and figure out this heat plate. So chicks will go in tomorrow.

I think you might want to consider taking down the barrier.
I'm not so sure 20 chicks are going to fit on that one side.