Heat lamp alternative

[robyn8]

Has anyone used one of these or something similar?

Premier Chick Brooder Heating Plate - 10" x 10" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018ZUHR2U/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_POaGyb50SYNBK

I was looking into the mama heating pad method and we figure that's going to cost at least $50 in materials (mostly the heating pad itself). And these heaters get great reviews. I've seen 3 different brands and they all have great reviews.

Any thoughts or comments on them?

 

[Pyxis]

I use that exact plate and it is great, love it. The chicks love it too. It's very adjustable, uses a small amount of power, and has a light indicator to let you know it's working. I 100% recommend them.

Here's some pictures of my chicks enjoying it:

 

[robyn8]

Awesome! Thanks so much! It looks really great. We're brooding our next batch in the coop and the fire risk with a heat lamp that far away is just too scary. And I don't want a light on all night for the older ladies. So many pros to this heater!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

BTW, the mama heating pad costs <$15 including materials. The heating pad is about $13 and then you just need a small bit of wire, wood, or whatever you like to make a frame.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-756-500-Heating-Pad-UltraHeatTechnology/dp/B00006IV4N

 

[lazy gardener]

BTW, the mama heating pad costs <$15 including materials. The heating pad is about $13 and then you just need a small bit of wire, wood, or whatever you like to make a frame.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-756-500-Heating-Pad-UltraHeatTechnology/dp/B00006IV4N

Agreed, the MHP can be made very inexpensively. Most folks, if they search around a bit will find everything they need to make the frame and covering right in their own home or yard. I've not bought one of those plastic heaters, but I'd do a lot of homework before spending the $ on one. some of the reviews I've read indicate that they are not adequate for outdoor brooding.

 

[aart]

Has anyone used one of these or something similar?

Premier Chick Brooder Heating Plate - 10" x 10" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018ZUHR2U/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_POaGyb50SYNBK

I was looking into the mama heating pad method and we figure that's going to cost at least $50 in materials (mostly the heating pad itself). And these heaters get great reviews. I've seen 3 different brands and they all have great reviews.

Any thoughts or comments on them?

But you get more space(10"x10" vs 12"x24") using a heating pad for that $50.
How many chicks do you plan on getting?

I wanted a Premiere or Brinsea but settled for this...but it took a lot of dinking to build it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate

 

[robyn8]

I guess you guys are better at searching for cheap heating pads on Amazon, lol. The ones I found where you could shut off auto shut off were like $40. Oh well, lol. I already bought the premier one. I'm only brooding 4 chicks so space is a non issue. All the reviews were fabulous. No one said it didn't work for outdoors with the one I bought. For some reason the factory made one worried me less with fire. I'm sure eithe way works great!

 

[Pyxis]

I guess you guys are better at searching for cheap heating pads on Amazon, lol. The ones I found where you could shut off auto shut off were like $40. Oh well, lol. I already bought the premier one. I'm only brooding 4 chicks so space is a non issue. All the reviews were fabulous. No one said it didn't work for outdoors with the one I bought. For some reason the factory made one worried me less with fire. I'm sure eithe way works great!

You're going to love it It does work outdoors - I'm brooding chicks out there right now with it in a cold VT winter. It is smaller, but it sounds like you wouldn't need the bigger size anyway and it has a lot of good points to it too. For example it uses a lot less power than a heating pad does, it's very easily adjustable whereas using fence etc for a frame for the heating pad really isn't as easy to adjust as the heat plate is, unless you build something like aart's nice design but that costs more money unless you happen to have the supplies around. Plus there's no danger of a chick getting caught between the frame and the heating pad and dying like I've seen happen with the MHP method (although that can be fixed with further modification to prevent such a thing happening). And it's easier to clean than a fabric heating pad if the chicks soil it - a quick rub down with a damp cloth and you're good to go, no need to cover it with a pillow case or something and then do laundry after.

I feel you about it being hard to find a cheap heating pad with no shut off - the one linked in the heating pad thread that is recommended costs $40 on its own. Pus the other cheaper one in here that was linked says it has no auto shut off, but if you read the reviews it actually does have one after two hours, or at least some of them being sent out do, so that might not have worked for you anyway.

Anyway, don't feel bad about buying the heat plate or like you wasted your money or anything - while MHP is good, the plate does have some advantages over it in some areas, and I think you'll be happy with it.

 

[robyn8]

You're going to love it It does work outdoors - I'm brooding chicks out there right now with it in a cold VT winter. It is smaller, but it sounds like you wouldn't need the bigger size anyway and it has a lot of good points to it too. For example it uses a lot less power than a heating pad does, it's very easily adjustable whereas using fence etc for a frame for the heating pad really isn't as easy to adjust as the heat plate is, unless you build something like aart's nice design but that costs more money unless you happen to have the supplies around. Plus there's no danger of a chick getting caught between the frame and the heating pad and dying like I've seen happen with the MHP method (although that can be fixed with further modification to prevent such a thing happening). And it's easier to clean than a fabric heating pad if the chicks soil it - a quick rub down with a damp cloth and you're good to go, no need to cover it with a pillow case or something and then do laundry after.

I feel you about it being hard to find a cheap heating pad with no shut off - the one linked in the heating pad thread that is recommended costs $40 on its own. Pus the other cheaper one in here that was linked says it has no auto shut off, but if you read the reviews it actually does have one after two hours, or at least some of them being sent out do, so that might not have worked for you anyway.

Anyway, don't feel bad about buying the heat plate or like you wasted your money or anything - while MHP is good, the plate does have some advantages over it in some areas, and I think you'll be happy with it.

Thanks! I was feeling a little like I wasted some money lol! It will be mid April when I brood so it shouldn't be awful outside at that point (I'm in southern MI)

 

[SunHwaKwon]

You're going to love it It does work outdoors - I'm brooding chicks out there right now with it in a cold VT winter. It is smaller, but it sounds like you wouldn't need the bigger size anyway and it has a lot of good points to it too. For example it uses a lot less power than a heating pad does, it's very easily adjustable whereas using fence etc for a frame for the heating pad really isn't as easy to adjust as the heat plate is, unless you build something like aart's nice design but that costs more money unless you happen to have the supplies around. Plus there's no danger of a chick getting caught between the frame and the heating pad and dying like I've seen happen with the MHP method (although that can be fixed with further modification to prevent such a thing happening). And it's easier to clean than a fabric heating pad if the chicks soil it - a quick rub down with a damp cloth and you're good to go, no need to cover it with a pillow case or something and then do laundry after.

I feel you about it being hard to find a cheap heating pad with no shut off - the one linked in the heating pad thread that is recommended costs $40 on its own. Pus the other cheaper one in here that was linked says it has no auto shut off, but if you read the reviews it actually does have one after two hours, or at least some of them being sent out do, so that might not have worked for you anyway.

Anyway, don't feel bad about buying the heat plate or like you wasted your money or anything - while MHP is good, the plate does have some advantages over it in some areas, and I think you'll be happy with it.

I have the one that I linked (two actually) and they don't auto shut off.

But the plates are nice for easy adjustability and wiping down.