Heat plates

[rosemarythyme]

No need for the red light at night, unless you really want them up and eating.

 

[M Brennen]

No need for the red light at night, unless you really want them up and eating.

I wasn’t sure. One place I read that they needed to eat at night or they would get up too hungry and thirsty in the morning. Will they be okay without eating all night?

 

[Ebony Rose]

You can bet that their mama wouldn't get up in the middle of the night to scrounge them up anything to eat. They should be sleeping at night and hungry in the morning.

 

[M Brennen]

You can bet that their mama wouldn't get up in the middle of the night to scrounge them up anything to eat. They should be sleeping at night and hungry in the morning.

That makes sense, except if I had a red heat light on them they would be up in the night, so I was trying to mimic that scenario. I was in a quandary.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

That makes sense, except if I had a red heat light on them they would be up in the night, so I was trying to mimic that scenario. I was in a quandary.

The whole point of a heat pad is to mimic how they would be raised naturally, so I think you would be fine not having one.

 

[M Brennen]

The whole point of a heat pad is to mimic how they would be raised naturally, so I think you would be fine not having one.

Thanks, I will unplug it.

 

[M Brennen]

Thanks, I will unplug it.

I appreciate all the reassurance.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

I appreciate all the reassurance.

Having no light at night helps them adjust to a day/night cycle and it helps them develop their circadian rhythm.

 

[aart]

I had thirty chickens under two 12x12 heat plates.

You need twice as much plate space for 30 chicks.
Plates/pads are great but they do have capacity limits.
Might be better off with a lamp(s)

 

[M Brennen]

You need twice as much plate space for 30 chicks.
Plates/pads are great but they do have capacity limits.
Might be better off with a lamp(s)

You need twice as much plate space for 30 chicks.
Plates/pads are great but they do have capacity limits.
Might be better off with a lamp(s)

My plates are 12x12 in. or 30x30 cm. Each plates says it can accommodate 20-25 chicks. I have two of them. That seems to be plenty of space for 30 chicks. I lost one bird after 4 days, but that was because I neglected to close down the sides of the box and close the windows as I had been doing, and the temperatures got down into the low 40s. They had been fine for the first 4 days when I closed everything up. It was because of my neglect that my baby died. I take full blame for the lost bird.