Electric Hens - Am I burning my chicks?

[le_bwah]

I recently purchased an out-of-the box electric "mama hen" (Titan brand, off Amazon). I know that it's supposed to warm the chicks through contact, and that they are able to go in and out as they please, but when I feel the heat plate with my hand the temperature feels "too hot". To anyone who's used these before: is this normal? Am I at risk of burning my chicks?

 

[Ducksandchickens]

I haven’t used it so I’m not helpful

 

[CannedMonster]

Get a thermometer at a feed store or online and put it under there.
It should be 95 degrees for day old chicks and then lower by 5 degrees each week.
Your heating plate should be adjustable in height so you can raise it to lower the heat.

 

[Kiki]

If it burns your hand then raise it up so the chicks CAN'T quite touch it.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Get a thermometer at a feed store or online and put it under there.
It should be 95 degrees for day old chicks and then lower by 5 degrees each week.
Your heating plate should be adjustable in height so you can raise it to lower the heat.

If it burns your hand then raise it up so the chicks CAN'T quite touch it.

Both members gave you excellent advise.
X2

 

[imnukensc]

You don't need a thermometer. Brooder plates don't work by radiant heat or convective heat like a heat lamp. In other words, it doesn't warm the air around it nor do they put off infrared rays. As the OP said, they work by contact. Yes, it will feel too hot to your hand. The chicks are warmed by touching it. Raise it so that it just touches the chicks' back when they're standing up. You'll have to adjust it up as your chicks get older. No, you won't burn your chicks.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

i used a candy thermometer from my kitchen, because I was in a pinch and couldn't get to the feed store quickly enough!

 

[le_bwah]

I really should just trust the critters to make themselves comfortable. Thanks a bunch for the advice and reassurance.

 

[CannedMonster]

You don't need a thermometer. Brooder plates don't work by radiant heat. In other words, it doesn't warm the air around it. As the OP said, they work by contact. Yes, it will feel too hot to your hand. The chicks are warmed by touching it. Raise it so that it just touches the chicks back when they're standing up. You'll have to adjust it up as your chicks get older. No, you won't burn your chicks.

Thank you for the correction! I didn’t realize the difference.

 

[Murmur]

I thought exactly the same when I first used my electric brooder. It felt so hot I wrapped kitchen towel around it to stop it burning my chicks.
Went to bed...in the morning all my chicks were gone! My first thought was that somehow the cat had got in and had them. I picked up the brooder to check underneath and out plopped a chick. They were all in the kitchen roll pressed against the hotplate.
It felt very very hot to me but they obviously like that.