I finally took the plunge and bought a brooder heat plate, Comfort brand WP-60 12x24 size, for my new bigger brooder. Got it all set up, plugged in, and it's HOT!!! I mean, burn-my-hand HOT! So once again, I did not do my research before buying it. There is NO contact information for the manufacturer, and I cannot locate a retailer who has the optional temperature regulator.
I gather that to work correctly, the chicks' backs must make contact with the surface of the heat plate, and the website says it's set for 125-deg-F. Isn't that too hot? I dug out my temperature regulator for the seedling heat mat and used HVAC metal tape to attach the sensor to the underside of the heat plate. It registered 136-degrees. It's for germinating seeds, so the highest temperature I can set the regulator to is 108-degrees, so I did that. Will that be warm enough, or still too hot? What temperature should these things be on the surface, anyway?
It's a good thing I've already got a smaller brooder setup with a heat lamp, and all temps are perfect and ready to go. I've got eggs hatching tonight and tomorrow. I'd planned to move them to the bigger brooder after a few days, but that plan may be on hold if I can't get this thing figured out soon.
I gather that to work correctly, the chicks' backs must make contact with the surface of the heat plate, and the website says it's set for 125-deg-F. Isn't that too hot? I dug out my temperature regulator for the seedling heat mat and used HVAC metal tape to attach the sensor to the underside of the heat plate. It registered 136-degrees. It's for germinating seeds, so the highest temperature I can set the regulator to is 108-degrees, so I did that. Will that be warm enough, or still too hot? What temperature should these things be on the surface, anyway?
It's a good thing I've already got a smaller brooder setup with a heat lamp, and all temps are perfect and ready to go. I've got eggs hatching tonight and tomorrow. I'd planned to move them to the bigger brooder after a few days, but that plan may be on hold if I can't get this thing figured out soon.