Heat plate distance?

[Bluemonster107]

I have searched old post and google, etc... man! Conflicting info.. so was wondering what users here could offer.... so coturnix chics hatching as we speak... so freakn cute!!! So I have a heat plate ready in the brooder... but should it be so low that the plate is touching the shavings? Is that not safe to touch substrate ? Angled and at what inches? Should be touching chics or just hovering above?
They started piping (counted 7 that I could see , out of 18) at about 2pm... first egg to hatch at about 6pm... next one like 7:30pm... so I leave them 24 hours? I have seen some mention 2 days even?? 4 total so far at 9:45pm... Mother’s day!! Yeah!!

 

[le_bwah]

Yay for hatching! Take pics and post them in the hatching thread!

When I turn on my plate, I'm afraid of it touching the substrate so I just don't let it . No clue if it would catch fire, but I sleep better if there's no contact.

The angle isn't really scientific (you don't even need an angle, really!). I make the a low end of the plate so that a chick could touch it without standing up, and a tall side so that they'd have to stand on tip-toe to reach. As they grow, I raise the plate to keep those guidelines the same.

If you have a large hatch, it might be safer to give them more height on the low end, so no chicks get trapped against the plate or smothered.

 

[le_bwah]

Oh, and it's safe enough to leave them in 24 hours, if pulling out dry chicks would mean endangering zipping ones. I personally wouldn't leave them in for much longer than that, though (not as long as you might leave a chicken chick).

During hatch, I move the incubator to the counter of my small bathroom and run the shower on hot—the steam keeps the humidity from falling while the lid is off and it gives me more time to remove chicks/shells.

 

[Bluemonster107]

Oh, and it's safe enough to leave them in 24 hours, if pulling out dry chicks would mean endangering zipping ones. I personally wouldn't leave them in for much longer than that, though (not as long as you might leave a chicken chick).

During hatch, I move the incubator to the counter of my small bathroom and run the shower on hot—the steam keeps the humidity from falling while the lid is off and it gives me more time to remove chicks/shells.

Thank you for the bathroom tip.. I was thinking of just running my reptile humidifier/fogger next to the bator when opening it the bathroom idea is wayyyyy better!!

 

[Bluemonster107]

Yay for hatching! Take pics and post them in the hatching thread!....

The “hatch along” one? That’s like 700 plus pages? Wasn’t sure ‍

 

[le_bwah]

The “hatch along” one? That’s like 700 plus pages? Wasn’t sure ‍

Yeah, everyone's sharing their pictures and stories—nice place to pick up tips and pointers, seeing how other people do their thing.

 

[Bluemonster107]

@le_bwah ... thank you for the bathroom suggestion!! I went ahead and took the 6 out and noticed two more in there .. one noticeably piping and one with shell half cracked... after a few hours I will check to see if I have to help... but had a question... the chics are pretty happy under the heat plate so far and wander out and follow my finger to the water and food... so they like to pick at all the shavings around... should I just scatter all the food in there too??? Or just leave on my lid for now?

 

[DK newbie]

Usually people scatter food and not shavings in the brooder for the first few days, to make sure the chicks know what food is before you give them any alternatives (like shavings) that they might try to eat. It won't necessarily hurt them to eat the shavings, but I wouldn't risk it - I'd remove them and scatter food around.

 

[Bluemonster107]

Usually people scatter food and not shavings in the brooder for the first few days....

I just have the shavings under the heat plate.. the little fluff balls have been playing in them and knocking them everywhere.. lol.... they have been coming out and eating and drinking... so you suggest I take all the shavings completely out??? It seemed to make it so cozy under the plate

 

[DK newbie]

Yes, removing them entirely for the first few days is the safest route. Again - most likely won't be a problem to leave them, but it could be a problem.