Heat Lamp vs Heating Plate

[pattyfan]

Hi y'all. We just got 4 new chicks. They are soooo cute. We used a heat lamp before but a friend of mine just suggested a heating plate. It seems much better (less electricity, no fire risk, mimics the mother's heating). Are there any down sides to heating plates? Thanks.

Kevin

 

[Silkie owner]

I use heating plates and they are amazing. I used to use the heat lamps but I got quite a few deaths with them so I switched. It’s so much better in my opinion!

 

[2 Magnolias Egg]

I love mine. The only issue is once they get big enough, they jump on top of it and poop on it. Thats a minor worry compared to fire, etc. Totally the way to go.

 

[Folly's place]

Mine was too hot to touch on the underside, and didn't do well the first time I used it. Then i got the 'temperature regulator' add on control and it's fine. Do check the underside of your new plate, if you get one. The directions say that the chicks should be able to touch it with their backs, and mine, not so.
Also, I think that the sizes are slightly skewed towards claiming more chicks than can actually fit under it, so larger rather than small sizes are good.
There needs to be plenty of space (with either heat source!) so chicks can exit on all four sides of the plate. You don't want chicks trapped under it in a corner.
The plates are especially good in warm weather, when regulating a heat lamp gets a lot more difficult.
Mary

 

[Ryguy3684]

I wouldn't use a heat lamp after using my heat plate. The one I have has adjustable legs to raise it up as they grow. They do poop on top, but it's easy to clean. Much safer and dummy proof, as it doesn't get too hot. They liked huddling under it, acts like going under a mama hen. I used the one from rent-a-coop.

 

[3KillerBs]

The plates are especially good in warm weather, when regulating a heat lamp gets a lot more difficult.

I put one on my Amazon Christmas list and am upping it to highest priority now that I'm experiencing the constant raising and lowering of the chain and changing of bulbs, plugging and unplugging the heat lamp outside in variable temperatures requires.

 

[SueT]

I use a ceramic heat emitter (reptile bulb) It can screw into your current clamp light fixture.
It puts out heat but no light, so chicks sleep thru the night. These are much less expensive than heat plates. They come in different wattages, I use a 75 watt. It heats the area under it, not the entire brooder. Like a heat plate, this is more natural, and chicks get used to the ambient temps. A couple other aspects I like about it is that you can see the chicks under it very easily, and they can't perch/poop on top of it.

 

[Naser]

I use heating plate for years, the only downside is you have to adjust the height every week

 

[Parront]

I use a ceramic heat emitter (reptile bulb) It can screw into your current clamp light fixture.
It puts out heat but no light, so chicks sleep thru the night. These are much less expensive than heat plates. They come in different wattages, I use a 75 watt. It heats the area under it, not the entire brooder. Like a heat plate, this is more natural, and chicks get used to the ambient temps. A couple other aspects I like about it is that you can see the chicks under it very easily, and they can't perch/poop on top of it.
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I like these, too. I have one that is 100 watts.

You can see the reflector in this photo. They go in and out from the heat, and you can see by their actions if they are comfortable. The heat plates seem pretty small, I was afraid of crowding that I could not see in there under it. I like the way it lets them sleep all night from the first day. These are Barred Hollands on their second day here yesterday @ 4 days old.

 

[the_peep_squad]

I used a heat plate. I tried a heat bulb but it wouldn't stay where I needed it to and we kept getting hot spots. The heat plate worked really well for my 8 chicks. I just took it out, since they have been ignoring it for sever days and the temps have been 60-95 in my area.