I am brand new to the chicken world doing my research in prep to getting 8 hens. I am just now learning about the entire brooder set up and necessity.
Questions:
1. What is a brooder plate?
2. Do you use this instead of a heat lamp?
3. Does the temp remain constant or can you adjust?
4. How high is the plate off the floor?
5. Should one be concerned that the chicks will fall off the elevated surface and hurt themselves?
6. What kind of chicks do you have?
7. I count 7 chicks….what is the size of your brooder?
Sorry for all the questions, I am trying to learn as much as I can for I know zero about chickens.
That makes you wise.
I'm a question-asker, too.
I value avoiding errors by asking questions up front from those who've already learned some things.
1. A brooder plate is a heat source for chicks. It is designed to mimic the direction from which the heat emanates from a mother hen. It also mimics the natural instinct of sheltering under her protective body. The natural light and heat availability that they then live by results in a less stressed chick with better life skills.
2. Yes, as long as temperatures aren't ridiculously cold. I have found that the usually recommended level of heat they need is vastly over-estimated .
3. You can find ones that have thermostats. I have heard they are unreliable. Mine is homemade. I adjust it by raising and lowering it. I lay fresh newspaper under it and on top of it daily.
4. Depending on the brooder plate you have, and the size of your chicks, you just want to make sure they are warm enough and not getting burnt. This is usually in the range of 4 to 8 inches - in my experience, which is limited to my own unit and what I've read here.
5. If they can get up there, they can get down, for the most part. I make sure that when they first begin, they have a little cushion to land on. That is, instead of wire, they have some grass or shavings. But I don't remove the newspaper from the wire floor until they show plenty of comfort while walking over the bare wire under their food and water.
6. I currently have 9 Pearl Leghorns, 4 Rhode Island Reds, and one surprise banty of some unknown-as-yet breed.
7. The interior floor space is 22x33, and the interior height is 13 inches. The clip light was for IF they needed extra heat. But they never did. I use it with a regular bulb so I can see in the dark to check them when I get home from work.
You can raise chicks very simply and spend little money on a brooder setup. I've done it many times. But I'm glad I spent the money and bought this. It has made my life much easier.
