Heater plate

[CAllrenn2002]

Hi all, i have 3 five week old chicks in a brooder in a warm house in the middle of june, ive seen the last two nights the chicks have decided to sleep on top of the heating plate rather than under it. The first night i raised it all the way it would go and they went back under but tonight they weren't fussed and weren’t exactly huddling for warmth, have they ungrown the heater ? Can i take it out to give them some more room and maybe just put it back on cold nights?

 

[Punkybrewster]

At 5 weeks go ahead. They will be fine.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
They should be feathered out and past the need for their heater. They should be outside in their coop too!
Mary

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no supplemental heat. Inside your house those chicks have not needed that heater for a while. They tried to tell you that but you were not listening. Learn to trust your chicks.

I don't know where in the world you are so I have no idea what your night-time temperatures are so I can't comfortably say yours are ready to go outside with no heat at all, but there is a real good chance they are.

I'm not trying to be critical at all, I understand how nervous you can be just starting out. You really don't know and you don't want to do anything to hurt them. We all have to start somewhere. But if you ever get a chance to watch a broody hen raise her chicks you get a better feel for what those chicks can do.

 

[M Brennen]

Hi all, i have 3 five week old chicks in a brooder in a warm house in the middle of june, ive seen the last two nights the chicks have decided to sleep on top of the heating plate rather than under it. The first night i raised it all the way it would go and they went back under but tonight they weren't fussed and weren’t exactly huddling for warmth, have they ungrown the heater ? Can i take it out to give them some more room and maybe just put it back on cold nights?

The same thing is happening with my 12 day old chicks. My chicks (29) are in a box in my chicken coop with two heat plates. Three days in they were so cold they actually crushed one baby under the plate. Lately it has been so warm outside that they are settling down (some in clumps) at night outside the heat plates. When I check the temperatures of the box, it ranges between 75 and 85 degrees. The birds seem to know what they need as they are quiet at night. My plates are angled so they have access to different heights. I trust they will utilize them if they get cold.