Is anyone using the Premier "heat plate" brooder for chicks?

[Leahs Mom]

Mine came with 2 pages of instructions, unfortunately both were in the same 2 languages, neither was English. Looks like a packing error. I was hoping more more guidelines on things like how high to set it.

Give them a call. They will probably send you a .pdf file with the English directions.

 

[BlueWater29]

Just unpacked a new Premier 50 brooder, and the instructions are in Dutch and German - but not in English

. Can someone post the basics for me? I have chicks that need to go in the brooder today. Thanks!

Download Manuals at: www.comfortchicks.com

 

[1muttsfan]

Thank you

 

[chrissyr]

So are the big plates a danger for smothering and suffocation? Never heard of the problem like the meat birds had.

 

[what did I do]

So are the big plates a danger for smothering and suffocation? Never heard of the problem like the meat birds had.

I don't think there is a problem with the bigger heat plate. I think there is a lingering problem from the chicks being too cold or maybe another problem. Without seeing the setup or the care they are getting it is hard to tell what the problem is.

 

[aart]

So are the big plates a danger for smothering and suffocation? Never heard of the problem like the meat birds had.

I think anytime there is not enough heat you run the risk of piling suffocation....doesn't matter what kind of heat source you are using.

Having more heat source(s) than you think you might need on hand just in case you need it (ie: a heat plate and a light or two) and watching the chicks behavior is going to enable you to minimize the chance of that happening.

Number of chicks, ambient temperature, size of brooder all play a part in any given scenario.

 

[debp]

I could see where 50 very young birds might be a problem, but I just completed my first experience with a large Premier heat plate and had no problems with 25 chicks. One day this week, just before their 1 month birthday, they all just decided to sleep together on the far end of the brooder in the 53 degree garage. After they did this a second night, I removed the heat plate and today I will move them to the outside coop.

I kept it a little high on one end, so that the largest chicks backs would barely touch it on that end when they were standing. I kept raising it to keep it that way. Seems to have worked very well. I have New Hampshires, Barred Rock and Brown Leghorns. At 1 month, the New Hampshires are twice as big as my 3 smallest Barred Rocks, so I think it helped to keep the front legs at a different height than the rear ones. I could always see the New Hampshires sleeping on the edge of the high end as they got older.

 

[theabee]

I have a small Premier heat plate, with 6 chickens under it. They are a month old now, and they pretty much just use the top. They love it! They all cuddle on top and fluff their feathers out, even though the top is barely warm at all. They have almost all their feathers at a month old, and don't sleep under the plate anymore. They're heading out to their coop, as soon as it's finished!

 

[Irishhenman]

I have one 20-25 chick plate at the moment, I find it brilliant but it doesn't actually cover that many chicks after a couple of weeks. I am going to buy a 50-55 chick plate soon. I get mine from this website,

http://www.maceoinltd.com/poultry-equipment/poultry-chicken-brooders/electric-brooders/

they are an Irish company but I am nearly sure that they ship world wide. They sell 15-20, 20-25, 30-35 and 50-55 chick heat plates. They also give the dimensions for them. I really like the height options on this plate and that you can have it higher on one side than the other so chicks of different ages can be brooded. I only realised that you can get cover for them, I think I might get one of those because chicks like pooing on top of the plate.

 

[ladycat]

I have one 20-25 chick plate at the moment, I find it brilliant but it doesn't actually cover that many chicks after a couple of weeks.

After a couple of weeks they just roost on top anyway.