Heat Plates

[TinyHandsHomestead105]

Opinions on heat plates vs heat lamps? In the past I’ve always used heat lamps, but I’m always nervous about the fire hazard since they will be in the house. Do heat plates work as good? We will have a good 35-40 chicks so I’d imagine I’d have to get two if I used them. I’ve heard the fire risk is lower with them and that’s the only reason I’m researching and wanting feedback. Brand recommendations as well if you do use them! TIA!

 

[nuthatched]

Heat lamps are much better for batches of chicks over adozen, chicks double in size every week, you'd have to double the amount of heat plates every week. The chance of heat lamps causing fires is slim.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I've used both, but always kept a heat lamp too, even with the plates, just because I'm not confident in them. If you're getting shipped chicks, you have to use a lamp at first anyways, so I see no reason personally to change it up after a few weeks. Just make sure it's secured with at least 2 different methods

 

[CedarLane]

I've used both, but always kept a heat lamp too, even with the plates, just because I'm not confident in them. If you're getting shipped chicks, you have to use a lamp at first anyways, so I see no reason personally to change it up after a few weeks. Just make sure it's secured with at least 2 different methods

We've raised 25 chicks with a 12x24 "Mama Heating Pad" and not had a problem. Since we started using the heating pad, we've never looked back at the heating lamps. We've never had a problem with our shipped chicks adjusting to the heating pads. They've always adapted right away. With some watching and training, they are soon running under the pad, and out, then back under whenever they wish. For about the 1st couple of days...usually less than a week... we make sure everyone is "tucked in" at night but they soon figure everything out. When they are a little older, they start spending more daytime hours on top of the pads then under. (They are so cute!)

Sometimes we'll raise 2 batches in side by side brooders with a heating pad in each one (usually broilers in one brooder and layer chicks in the other). The sides of our brooders aren't quite as tall as I would prefer (but since they are in an enclosed secure coop, we make the best of the situation since we know they are safe. They could have the whole coop, but keeping them in a smaller space works better at first.) At some point they'll start hopping into the other brooder to spend some time with they other chicks which is amusing to see the little pullets making friends with the rapidly growing broilers. We switch them back to the correct brooder...only to need to switch them back again later. The broilers are soon too big to hop to the other brooder. Once we had a broiler and pullet become friends...every time we went out there it was the same two chicks together!!!

One thing I really like with the heating pads vs the heating lamps is that the chicks sleep at night. I think it is one of the things that works well with our Broilers. They don't end up growing too fast and having heart or leg issues because they sleep all night instead of eat all night. We make sure the feeders and waterers are topped off before bedtime so that when they wake up in the morning they are able to eat.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For the number of chicks I'd opt for lamp instead of plate, or plan on getting more plates than you think you'll need to reduce risk of chicks crushing one another. So if a plate says it holds 20, count on it holding 10-15.

 

[TinyHandsHomestead105]

For the number of chicks I'd opt for lamp instead of plate, or plan on getting more plates than you think you'll need to reduce risk of chicks crushing one another. So if a plate says it holds 20, count on it holding 10-15.

I will likely just do what I have in the past with a lamp and put a heat detector plug in the wall for my peace of mind.

 

[BBQ2U]

We have two heat plates Producer's Pride. It is a combination heater and brooder. We have one in the top of our coop opposite where they roost, and one in the bottom that we close up the hardware cloth with plastic. They are great because if a chicken feels the need to warm up they can go next to it without the heat source heating up the whole place. We have never had a problem. We use pine chips inside the upper part and the bottom is dry dirt. Here's a pic of our coop to help understand. We run a very high rated power cord to the coop with three outlets. One for the waterer, and the other two for the heaters. The cords run to the outside and the on/off switch is inside the coop. We are not afraid of fire. The pine chips get pushed right up to the panel. When it was a brooder, it sat right on top of the chips and at times, the chicks would scratch the chips in a pile to the panel in the corner of the box. We kept them in a cardboard melon box. Never did we have fire concerns.

 

[Dim2000]

Opinions on heat plates vs heat lamps? In the past I’ve always used heat lamps, but I’m always nervous about the fire hazard since they will be in the house. Do heat plates work as good? We will have a good 35-40 chicks so I’d imagine I’d have to get two if I used them. I’ve heard the fire risk is lower with them and that’s the only reason I’m researching and wanting feedback. Brand recommendations as well if you do use them! TIA!

Hi there! . How does the ideal heater looks to you? I would like to invite you to my thread (My story of finding and building the best heater - https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-story-of-finding-and-building-the-best-heater.1612601/ ), where the ideal heater can be discussed, and I can have participant's feedback taken to the Canadian manufacturer.