Heat plate help

[Mamatomany123]

I have 9 chicks being shipped tomorrow and should be here Thursday. I have their brooder all set up in the coop with food and water bowls(I'll fill those the day of) and a brooding plate. I've never used one and just used a heat lamp but we've switched to straw this year and I'm terrified of starting a fire. I also want to get the chicks used to day and night right away. But how do I do this. Do I just place them under it so they know it's there? They'll just go under when they need to, correct? And should I place a light in the brooder for them? The coop gets light but with the lid of the brooder and being on the ground they won't get a ton of sunlight.

 

[fin-dachickmasta]

Put them under to begin with and you should be fine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They shouldn't need light as long as there's enough natural light to see by - personally I prefer a natural day/night cycle for chicks.

For the heat plate, I'd herd or place the chicks underneath it so they're aware that's where the warm spot is, and they should be able to find their way back to it as long as the brooding area isn't huge.

 

[aimz127]

@Mamatomany123 How have your chicks taken to the brooding plate? I just got one for my week-old chicks and they haven't come back out! Granted it's night time so they're probably getting a good rest food/water is right on the edge of the plate for easy access.
I plan on using the heat lamp as a supplement during the day for a while so they can run around the brooder more, but they're in the basement and can be checked on every couple of hours.

 

[Mamatomany123]

It was a disaster. I put them all under it when they came in. Made sure they stayed put because it was still dark outside (about 630 am). Went back out at 730 to 1 dead and 1 dying because they got out from under the heat plate and couldn't see to get back under. I saved the one that was dying, thought she was a goner as she was taking deep big breaths and had her feet straight behind her. Got her warmed up and she was good. Switched over to the heat lamp and haven't lost another (got 8 more chicks a week after the first batch). I know people love them but I'm sticking with a secured heat lamp from now on.

@Mamatomany123 How have your chicks taken to the brooding plate? I just got one for my week-old chicks and they haven't come back out! Granted it's night time so they're probably getting a good rest  food/water is right on the edge of the plate for easy access.

I plan on using the heat lamp as a supplement during the day for a while so they can run around the brooder more, but they're in the basement and can be checked on every couple of hours.

 

[aart]

It was a disaster. I put them all under it when they came in. Made sure they stayed put because it was still dark outside (about 630 am). Went back out at 730 to 1 dead and 1 dying because they got out from under the heat plate and couldn't see to get back under. I saved the one that was dying, thought she was a goner as she was taking deep big breaths and had her feet straight behind her. Got her warmed up and she was good. Switched over to the heat lamp and haven't lost another (got 8 more chicks a week after the first batch). I know people love them but I'm sticking with a secured heat lamp from now on.

That's too bad @Mamatomany123 .
The plates/pads can be a bit tricky, they do take more monitoring as to height and temp.
Well worth the effort in the long run.
Sometimes you have to kinda hold the chicks under until they feel the heat and stay put.
I do use a low wattage heat lamp over the feed/water station the first few days,
just to make sure they are all moving and eating and drinking.

 

[Anime2lover]

It was a disaster. I put them all under it when they came in. Made sure they stayed put because it was still dark outside (about 630 am). Went back out at 730 to 1 dead and 1 dying because they got out from under the heat plate and couldn't see to get back under. I saved the one that was dying, thought she was a goner as she was taking deep big breaths and had her feet straight behind her. Got her warmed up and she was good. Switched over to the heat lamp and haven't lost another (got 8 more chicks a week after the first batch). I know people love them but I'm sticking with a secured heat lamp from now on.

@Mamatomany123 How have your chicks taken to the brooding plate? I just got one for my week-old chicks and they haven't come back out! Granted it's night time so they're probably getting a good rest  food/water is right on the edge of the plate for easy access.

I plan on using the heat lamp as a supplement during the day for a while so they can run around the brooder more, but they're in the basement and can be checked on every couple of hours.

It's quite normal to lose a few shipped chicks a day to a few days after arriving. I don't think it was totally because of the heating pad and night.

 

[Mamatomany123]

@aart I should have done this. This was t first time using a plate instead of a lamp and I thought I had done enough research but I guess not. We dropped down to 6 this past week unexpectedly so I don't think a heat plate would have worked anyways in that weather. The heat lamp held did just fine for the babies.

 

[Mamatomany123]

@Anime2lover I know it's normal but with the other parking up after getting warm and finding the dead one so far from the heat I'm pretty sure it was from that. My fault totally as I should have had some type of gift gift them but I didn't think about it as I ws setting them up.

 

[aimz127]

It was a disaster. I put them all under it when they came in. Made sure they stayed put because it was still dark outside (about 630 am). Went back out at 730 to 1 dead and 1 dying because they got out from under the heat plate and couldn't see to get back under. I saved the one that was dying, thought she was a goner as she was taking deep big breaths and had her feet straight behind her. Got her warmed up and she was good. Switched over to the heat lamp and haven't lost another (got 8 more chicks a week after the first batch). I know people love them but I'm sticking with a secured heat lamp from now on.

@Mamatomany123 How have your chicks taken to the brooding plate? I just got one for my week-old chicks and they haven't come back out! Granted it's night time so they're probably getting a good rest  food/water is right on the edge of the plate for easy access.

I plan on using the heat lamp as a supplement during the day for a while so they can run around the brooder more, but they're in the basement and can be checked on every couple of hours.

Sorry to hear about your experience!

I used a heat lamp last year with my first chicks, but was always nervous they'd somehow knock it down or a stray feather would catch. I didn't have good luck with my pullets once they were out in the coop, so was hoping to try something different this year with better results.

I put the plate in at an angle (so the bigger chick has more clearance) and left the heat lamp on for a while too, but the little nuggets wanted to cuddle-puddle under the plate, so I'm letting them at it and have food/water close by with a normal light on so they can see if they come out.