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

[lynnehd]

Lucky chicks!
Great idea about the battery operated votive candle.

Mine are now a week old, and took to the Premier Heat plate very quickly.

 

[aart]

I just brought my first 8 chicks home to a farm I recently purchased. Local Southern States had some really healthy and active chicks, eating well and so pretty. I bought 3 Red Stars, 3 barred Plymouths, and 2 Easter Eggers. I had a brooder set up with a Premier Chick Heater (aka--electric hen). My babies were in a stock tank in the store with 2 red heat lamps. Brought them home in an ice storm so I could spend the afternoon and evening with them.

I work full time right now and do not want to leave heat lamps clipped to anything as I worry about the risk of fire

I read that chicks are attracted to light if they don't have their moms to warm them. I put a battery operated votive candle under the heater to attract the chicks, and sure enough, in a few minutes everybody was under the electric hen and sleeping quietly. Some are half under, so I know it is warm enough in there. The candle does not get hot and will burn for several days on one little battery. Then I can probably remove it.

The candle-lit environment has to be more restful than the glaring heat lamp I have used for sunning lizards.

I love your forums. Lots of wonderful information and I have chosen to build the Cluckingham Palace chicken tractor included in the coop plans. My babies will free-range on this beautiful place. For now, they are living in my guest room! Best guests yet!!

Awwww.....that made me say awwww.......a candlelit chick warmer.

Actually a very interesting idea that I may employ....I had a little trouble getting the chicks to go from light to brooder plate.

 

[Blooie]

I just brought my first 8 chicks home to a farm I recently purchased. Local Southern States had some really healthy and active chicks, eating well and so pretty. I bought 3 Red Stars, 3 barred Plymouths, and 2 Easter Eggers. I had a brooder set up with a Premier Chick Heater (aka--electric hen). My babies were in a stock tank in the store with 2 red heat lamps. Brought them home in an ice storm so I could spend the afternoon and evening with them.

I work full time right now and do not want to leave heat lamps clipped to anything as I worry about the risk of fire

I read that chicks are attracted to light if they don't have their moms to warm them. I put a battery operated votive candle under the heater to attract the chicks, and sure enough, in a few minutes everybody was under the electric hen and sleeping quietly. Some are half under, so I know it is warm enough in there. The candle does not get hot and will burn for several days on one little battery. Then I can probably remove it.

The candle-lit environment has to be more restful than the glaring heat lamp I have used for sunning lizards.

I love your forums. Lots of wonderful information and I have chosen to build the Cluckingham Palace chicken tractor included in the coop plans. My babies will free-range on this beautiful place. For now, they are living in my guest room! Best guests yet!!

This place is fantastic, isn't it? Funny about the differences in the chicks....Scout was hatched and initially brooded under a hen and there darn sure wasn't any light under her. When he got hurt we brought him in, used Mama Heating Pad and he preferred the warm, quiet darkness because it was what he had from the time he popped out of the egg.

Fast forward to this weekend: Brought the new chicks home....they had arrived at the store in their big boxes, the staff put them into their respective bins, and as soon as all the chicks were okayed for sale and in their properly marked bins, I picked out mine. I suppose all together they'd spent about 20 minutes under a brooder lamp before they went back into a little box for the 2 hour drive home. Got them home,put them in the brooder with Mama Heating Pad and they took to it instantly. Again it's warm, dark and quiet under there. It has to be that they hadn't had time to associate with the light of a heat lamp that made them so eager to snuggle down in there. I'm of the mind set that I want them used to how it's going to be out in the coop from the start, and since they won't have a night light out there they don't have one in here.

I must admit that the battery operated candle is a stroke of genius though. I can sure see where it attract them. Good job!!

 

[cressrb]

Where do you purchase the Premier Heat Plate? I have been looking all over. I looked on the Premier site - nothing.
Maybe they are out of stock?

 

[aart]

Where do you purchase the Premier Heat Plate? I have been looking all over. I looked on the Premier site - nothing.
Maybe they are out of stock?

http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=135875&cat_id=173

 

[cressrb]

Thank you! I swear I looked at that same site and it said, Oops no longer here.
This is what I wanted and I thank you.

 

[dldolan]

Just received my two 12" plates. What height are you all using for LF chicks, assuming chicks are just on the paper towel for week one, shavings after that.

 

[ladycat]

Just received my two 12" plates. What height are you all using for LF chicks, assuming chicks are just on the paper towel for week one, shavings after that.

I adjust them so that the bottom of the plate is head height for the chicks. Raise them as the chicks grow.

 

[lynnehd]

Just received my two 12" plates. What height are you all using for LF chicks, assuming chicks are just on the paper towel for week one, shavings after that.

And you can set it higher in the front, lower in the back. That has worked really well for me, including for chicks that are of slightly different sizes.

 

[dldolan]

How far in advance of chicks did people start warming the plate? I'm assuming it onlly needs 10 minutes or so to warm up, or longer? I thought if I plugged it in when i see the first pip...