Help! We need Recommendations/Thoughts on these items for chicks?

[feathermaid]

How long does she plan to raise the chicks before she sells them? And how many at a time? I don't think you can go wrong with either the heating plate OR pad. A larger premier plate would probably be easier to adjust and keep clean over successive batches. I've used the heating pad (which I love!) but it does take a lot more fiddling with to keep at the right height as the chicks grow. They also like to hop on top and poop, so I kept a piece of cardboard up there to keep my towel and pad clean.

With more chicks and a larger brooder it would be better to keep the heater in the center so chicks can come and go from all sides. And you can purchase the clear angled top cover to keep the chicks off.
You will notice how quiet chicks are... just content peeping and purring like with a real mama hen. I'm a strong believer that this method is so much healthier than a light 24/7 glaring down on poor neurotic chicks that have no sense of day or night and just drop over from exhaustion at randoms times throughout the day while others are screaming loudly because they're too hot or too cold or just don't know what's going on.

Also, I've tried most types of watering methods...

These up-side-down nipples work the best for little chicks but they do drip a lot, and I didn't like having wet bedding around my delicate babies.



I've heard so many fantastic things about these cup drinkers, but my girls are apparently not very smart... they just won't push hard enough on the paddle to let the water out no matter how many times I show them. They just drink the water out of the cups and walk away. Even hours later the cup is still dry so I'm not sure if they were getting water when I wasn't looking, but I just use the horizontal nipples for now... and a bowl of water too.



These horizontal nipples are my favorite and they don't drip. Little chicks may have some difficulty applying enough pressure to get the water they need though.

You can barely see the horizontal nipples in this picture:



But for little babies, I still like the open traditional waterers set up on a brick or cinder block to keep it cleaner. A narrow version will keep chicks from possibly drowning, or even filling the reservoir with some marbles helps too.

 

[Blooie]

Keeping the pad clean is not that difficult. I usually pick up threadbare towels at Goodwill, and the family gives me their old towels instead of pitching them when they get worn. I put a folded towel on top covered with Press 'n Seal. I can wipe poop off with a paper towel, and just peel it off and put on a new piece if it gets bad. And mine is so easy to adjust....because it's just a piece of welded wire fence, I can pull it up in the center to make it taller or smoosh it to make it lower. I don't have to do much fiddling because they are only on heat for 3 weeks or so.

I so agree with the contented sounds of the chicks when they use it, and the confidence they have from having a duplicate of Mom in the brooder. I love to show this video of their behavior. You'll notice that when it starts, I'm crouched down with the camera and they are actually desperate to get away from the one-eyed monster staring at them. They run back and forth between the corner, the portal door (which is still closed) and the waterer, cheeping desperately. Then I stand up, and the camera is no longer right in their little faces. They run past me, head for MHP, and the silence is almost instant.

Oh, and you'll also hear me refer to a little chick we thought was dead. When we were putting chicks in, we missed one. She got herself stuck under the dust bath thingy, and when we found her hours later we thought she was a goner....stiff, legs extended, eyes closed, no sign of breathing, so I brought her in and stuck her in the incubator, which was running with eggs in it. She revived, and was put back out with the others. Within a day, it was hard to tell which one she was!

 

[Little Farm Girl]

How long does she plan to raise the chicks before she sells them? And how many at a time? I don't think you can go wrong with either the heating plate OR pad. A larger premier plate would probably be easier to adjust and keep clean over successive batches. I've used the heating pad (which I love!) but it does take a lot more fiddling with to keep at the right height as the chicks grow. They also like to hop on top and poop, so I kept a piece of cardboard up there to keep my towel and pad clean.
View attachment 1629469 View attachment 1629470
With more chicks and a larger brooder it would be better to keep the heater in the center so chicks can come and go from all sides. And you can purchase the clear angled top cover to keep the chicks off.
You will notice how quiet chicks are... just content peeping and purring like with a real mama hen. I'm a strong believer that this method is so much healthier than a light 24/7 glaring down on poor neurotic chicks that have no sense of day or night and just drop over from exhaustion at randoms times throughout the day while others are screaming loudly because they're too hot or too cold or just don't know what's going on.

Also, I've tried most types of watering methods...

These up-side-down nipples work the best for little chicks but they do drip a lot, and I didn't like having wet bedding around my delicate babies.
View attachment 1629467


I've heard so many fantastic things about these cup drinkers, but my girls are apparently not very smart... they just won't push hard enough on the paddle to let the water out no matter how many times I show them. They just drink the water out of the cups and walk away. Even hours later the cup is still dry so I'm not sure if they were getting water when I wasn't looking, but I just use the horizontal nipples for now... and a bowl of water too.
View attachment 1629468


These horizontal nipples are my favorite and they don't drip. Little chicks may have some difficulty applying enough pressure to get the water they need though.
View attachment 1629466
You can barely see the horizontal nipples in this picture:
View attachment 1629475


But for little babies, I still like the open traditional waterers set up on a brick or cinder block to keep it cleaner. A narrow version will keep chicks from possibly drowning, or even filling the reservoir with some marbles helps too.
View attachment 1629474

A Bunch of wonderful info/opinions! Thank you so much. She tries to sell them at a day old, but usually it happends at around 3-5 days old. I'm not sure how many she will have in each hatch, but her incubator holds around 48 eggs.

 

[RoosterML]

Here's what I use, I also like to have 2 heating pads going and 2 waterers.
Nothing original in my setup just all ideas from others.
1)24"x24" coated wire shelving set on top of 2x4's
2) 2- NON auto off heat pads
3)Foil faced bubble wrap insulation to cover heat pads and help reflect heat down.
4) sheet of PVC board or plywood even cardboard to cover foil
5) cover everything with a towel.

 

[Little Farm Girl]

Question about the heating pad method-
How do you regulate/check the temperature? Or know what to set it at? She wants to try a heating pad method, but she doesn't want to mess up and kill another batch of chicks...

 

[RoosterML]

Question about the heating pad method-
How do you regulate/check the temperature? Or know what to set it at? She wants to try a heating pad method, but she doesn't want to mess up and kill another batch of chicks...

The heating pads have 3 heat settings L/M/H. Do your set up and have it working for awhile so that everything will be up to normal operating conditions I would do 24 hours on high setting. Set thermometer down under hearing pad area. Check temp several times during that 24 hour period while on high.This will tell you what the maximum temp will be. You can do the same with Medium and Low if you like. 90-95° is ideal for first few days as I am sure you know. I personally have an inferred temperature measuring gun that I would use when I checked mine. I also had a thermometer as you can see by my previous picture I would just lay it inside when needed. You will have alot of control with 2 heating pads, one on high the other on low and everything in between. These are the ones I used that have NO auto off. Model 731, also very cheap to run compared to 250 watt bulb

 

[aart]

Question about the heating pad method-
How do you regulate/check the temperature? Or know what to set it at? She wants to try a heating pad method, but she doesn't want to mess up and kill another batch of chicks...

You don't check the heat really, not like with a lamp.
You basically go by behaviors. I actually use a lamp over the feed/water station for the first few days(only during the day).

Yes, you can check the pad surface with and infrared temperature gauge.
The plates and pads that I have seen checked in that manner, and my own, are about 110-130°F.

With DIY plate/pad it's good to be able to easily lift the pad to check underneath for any struggling chicks....ti also needs adjustable legs to pad height can be adjusted as chicks grow.

 

[RoosterML]

Yes, you can check the pad surface with and infrared temperature gauge.
The plates and pads that I have seen checked in that manner, and my own, are about 110-130°F.

I didn't really pay attention to the temp of the pad surface itself. I would get my temp reading of the floor under the pads, same result as if you would lay thermometer down inside. As @aart said the chicks action will tell you all you need to know. If the chicks stay huddled inside with little movement for long periods of time its likely to cold, so turn up the setting . If it's to hot you see them hanging out around the outside edges with no one really going inside to hang out or nap, so you can turn the temp down. What I really noticed and I think is ideal is I would see them sit inside for a few then run back out for a bit to eat and back and forth they went.

 

[aart]

I didn't really pay attention to the temp of the pad surface itself. I would get my temp reading of the floor under the pads, same result as if you would lay thermometer down inside.

That is not applicable to pads/plates as they chicks get heat from actually touching the surface with their backs.

But curious what were temps on floor?

 

[RoosterML]

That is not applicable to pads/plates as they chicks get heat from actually touching the surface with their backs.

But curious what were temps on floor?

I don't think my chicks were even able to touch it with there backs. I also watched them for some time never saw one touch it. Temp was roughly in the mid 80s to mid 90s on the floor depending on spot. It acts as radiant heat like I said never saw one touch it, I don't believe they were able to even reach it with there backs.