Experience with homemade brooder plate vs heat lamp

[Eliza1313]

OK, so I know there are several threads regarding brooder plates vs heat lamps out there already. One of which gave me the idea to try to make my own brooder plate. The brooder plates just seemed like a good idea to me, but the commercially sold ones were out of my budget. I started searching for stuff I could use to make one. Unfortunately after finding the supplies I needed and ordering them, I found out the chicks would arrive before the supplies. I ending up having to use a heat lamp to begin with. Then the original plan I had for making the brooder plate was unsuccessful. Went out bought supplies to use as a work around, but did not immediately get started on the project. Chicks were doing fine under heat lamp. To make a long story short, had some electrical problems, and no extra incandescent bulbs or heat lamp bulbs on hand. So mad rush to throw together the brooder plate that evening and hope that it worked. Fortunately it did.

It supplies heat on the surface but not to the surrounding air. The thermometer I placed on the top reads between 90-95 F. They are in an insulated outbuilding and I regulate the air temp with opening and shutting the windows. Current daytime temps have been in the mid 80's here, except over the weekend when I think we were high 60's. It was Sat that I noticed the 90 degree reading, the cool front came through sometime during the night Fri. I do not know what the overnight temps were, but decided to share the heat lamp between the two brooders to give more warmth to the ones with the plate just in case. It was focused on an area in the brooder with no plate though. Currently working on a 2nd plate, and have all the supplies to make a 3rd.

The chicks and keets seem to prefer the plate to the lamp though. So I will keep everyone updated as the 2nd plate will go into the second brooder and really give the chicks a chance to choose between the two.

Some of my observations so far:
1- Chicks and keets seem to be more active since the switch to the plate. However this could be age related, plate was put into use when they were almost a week old.
2- Some of them prefer to roost on top of the plate instead of underneath. This might be a way for them to get some warmth and not be too hot underneath. I have adjustable legs on it and am trying to keep it at a usable height for the different breeds I have. I do not think that the height is the reason for them being on the top, as some of the larger chicks and keets still go under and some of the smaller Cubalays get on top.
3- Them roosting on top makes for a messy surface. Depending on the material the plate is made out of this could be a slight problem. Which is the case for me, as my work around solution involved wood and the rush to complete it did not allow me to seal it.
4- The maximum height of the plate needs to be taken into consideration when choosing the height of the brooder walls. I am going to need to add netting over my brooder to prevent them from leaping from the plate over the walls soon.


I will be getting some of the stick on aquarium thermometers to try to get a reading of the temperature of the bottom of the plates. Second plate should be going into the brooder tomorrow, so will post the chicks choice after observing for about a day.

 

[Eliza1313]

Things have been a little crazy around here. Still have not completed the second brooder plate, we might get a chance to tonight.

Some follow up on earlier observations. The activity level seems to be age and space related. I had forgotten that the day after introducing the plate we also moved them into a larger space. This past weekend we made an even larger space available to them and combined the younger chicks in with the older. The younger chicks were all larger than the Cubalayas (smallest breed of the older chicks). The younger chicks (1 1/2 wks) are not as active as the older (2 1/2 wk), however they are more active than they were in the smaller space. The younger chicks, after being introduced to it, are more than willing to seek shelter under the plate or attempt to hop on top. They do not seem to have the leg strength to easily make the jump to the top of the plate, whereas even the little Cubalayas can make the jump. Not feather related either, as most of the Cubalayas have been slow to feather.

I have left the heat lamp available. Some do go take a nap in the light. Although I have seen those same chicks snuggled in a pile on top of the plate or ducking under the plate. I have not seen them pile together under the light. If one is napping and another one goes to lay next to them, they get up and move so there is space between them.

 

[Eliza1313]

Well the 2nd plate has been in there for about a week now. It is placed close to the heat lamp, so some of it is warmed more. I do find some perched on that edge of the plate, but since adding the 2nd plate I have not seen many napping in the heat lamp rays elsewhere. I have noticed that the cochins and broilers tend to not nap near any of the heat sources, they more often find a clear space near a wall and pile together. Occasionally I find a cochin under one of the plates napping while the rest are up active. The cochins and the broilers are the younger chicks. The brooder space is approximately 8' x 8'.

 

[PapaChaz]

sounds interesting. sure would like to see some pictures with a description of what your 'supplies' were and the build itself

 

[Eliza1313]

My fiance wants me to look into selling them locally. So I will not be posting pictures of them at this time. I have a lot of research and refinement to do before that can happen though. Depending on how much the design changes or if it is not feasible to do, I might post pictures and a supply list at a later date. I can say off the top of my head the cost to make the 4 I planned on making is less than $100 for all of them. I would have to tally up all the costs again, but I think it may even end up being less than $75. The heating surfaces are about 12" x 12".

 

[Eliza1313]

I also will not be posting any DIY plans until I have been able to do the research to find out what if any patents already exist. I do not want to inadvertently post something that would be a patent infringement.
In the process to make my plate I built upon the currently marketed plates as well as realizing that a lot if people have successfully used heating pads. So I started looking at other things I could use to provide a heat source.
I have made a device that works for me for now. I am in the process if refining that design. There are flaws in my design currently. I am working on creating a refined model. I plan to give one of those to a friend that also raises poultry to get her opinion of it. Then any changes that need to be made will go into a third model.
My goal in this is to make a brooder plate that is an improvement to what already exists and is also more affordable. Current idea is to try to have it cost no more than double the cost if a heat lamp and bulb.