Keets arrived from Guinea Farm of Iowa. Pics included.

[Sydney65]

Lokewi

Well, this is embarrassing but I think I turned the heat plate down too low. I spent some this evening after cleaning with my fist under the plate and it’s just tepid room temperature unless my skin is touching the plate. Then it is pleasantly warm.

When the plate first arrived and I plugged it in for the one-hour period, it got ouch hot! Scary hot. So I turned it down from 7 to 4. I think I overreacted. I’ve adjusted to 4 1/2 and will check how that feels before I go to bed.

@R2elk to verify- but depending on space, w/26 keets, they are producing their own heat source in addition to the light. Example- in late summer, Mama's 19 spread out among her, PJ & Nug rather than all being under her, and some snuggled behind wings rather than completely under. Not sure how that plays out w/lamp, but appears they're fairly spread out, suggesting they're either too hot or aok?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Lokewi

@R2elk to verify- but depending on space, w/26 keets, they are producing their own heat source in addition to the light. Example- in late summer, Mama's 19 spread out among her, PJ & Nug rather than all being under her, and some snuggled behind wings rather than completely under. Not sure how that plays out w/lamp, but appears they're fairly spread out, suggesting they're either too hot or aok?

From that farther off pic it looked like about half the brooder is away from heat. Bicoastal, what’s the temp in the cool side of the brooder. They are looking pretty comfy from your snapshots. Love the sleepy keets near the plate! And I’ve found it hard to tell how hot I want the plate. You don’t want them to burn themselves, but too high (height) won’t get them warm enough because they need to be in contact or almost in contact with the heat source to get warm.

 

[Bicoastal]

From that farther off pic it looked like about half the brooder is away from heat. Bicoastal, what’s the temp in the cool side of the brooder. They are looking pretty comfy from your snapshots. Love the sleepy keets near the plate! And I’ve found it hard to tell how hot I want the plate. You don’t want them to burn themselves, but too high (height) won’t get them warm enough because they need to be in contact or almost in contact with the heat source to get warm.

@Mixed flock enthusiast is right, half the brooder is away from heat. I don't have a second thermometer but I could move it and see. The house thermostat is set to 65.

I have moved the feeder completely to that cool half to force them to venture farther away from the heat. Remember, that 250W bulb is on a dimmer (Hallelujah! Best idea ever!) and no more pasty butt, so I don't think I'm roasting them. Now my goal is to switch them from lamp to plate for safety. Which heat source I should use when I move them outside I will ponder for another week.

The heat plate is tilted so keets can choose their height. They definitely don't seem to understand the plate has any benefit. Most of them prefer to form a puddle within the lamp's cast. A puddle here, a puddle there, maybe a couple under the plate.

 

[Sydney65]

@Mixed flock enthusiast is right, half the brooder is away from heat. I don't have a second thermometer but I could move it and see. The house thermostat is set to 65.

I have moved the feeder completely to that cool half to force them to venture farther away from the heat. Remember, that 250W bulb is on a dimmer (Hallelujah! Best idea ever!) and no more pasty butt, so I don't think I'm roasting them. Now my goal is to switch them from lamp to plate for safety. Which heat source I should use when I move them outside I will ponder for another week.

The heat plate is tilted so keets can choose their height. They definitely don't seem to understand the plate has any benefit. Most of them prefer to form a puddle within the lamp's cast. A puddle here, a puddle there, maybe a couple under the plate.

Guinea farm hatches (or say that they do) on Tuesday a.m. & ships that afternoon. I'm not sure how that figures in with you receiving them on the 12th, which is a Tuesday, but that means they are going on 3 wks old. 90°-95° the 1st week, 90°-85° the second week, 85°-80° the 3rd week, which is where you're heading into by Tuesday. I put the range in bc some do not start at 95°. In checking to confirm that 95° is the standard, I looked on Brinsea site, which states that the plate will not be sufficient for outdoor use in cold weather. "we always recommend our EcoGlows for indoor use only. The area that the brooder is in should never drop below 50°F or the chicks may become too cold.... When in doubt, set the brooder to about 3” for standard chicks and watch their behavior to be able to tell whether you should raise it. If you have varying sizes of chicks you can set one side of the brooder to be higher than the other, making sure that all of your chicks are comfortable." https://www.brinsea.com/Articles/Advice/Ecoglow.aspx
Whether you have Brinsea or not, it is the gold standard for that type of plate, so it's advice stands. Also, remember this is radiant heat,not ambient.

 

[Bicoastal]

Guinea farm hatches (or say that they do) on Tuesday a.m. & ships that afternoon. I'm not sure how that figures in with you receiving them on the 12th, which is a Tuesday, but that means they are going on 3 wks old.

My keets were hatched on the 12th and home with me about 30 hours later.

Thank you for sharing the Brinsea plate info. I looked up my plate yesterday and there are no instructions relevant to outdoor temps. I can follow Brinsea’s recommendation when the keets move outside and use both the the plate and the lamp overnight.

A few of the keets have figured out the plate. Most prefer the light. The cool kids like roosting on it. Pretty expensive roost .

 

[Sydney65]

My keets were hatched on the 12th and home with me about 30 hours later.

Thank you for sharing the Brinsea plate info. I looked up my plate yesterday and there are no instructions relevant to outdoor temps. I can follow Brinsea’s recommendation when the keets move outside and use both the the plate and the lamp overnight.

A few of the keets have figured out the plate. Most prefer the light. The cool kids like roosting on it. Pretty expensive roost .

The plate? Yeah, it's a thing. You can get a cone or cap so they can't do that. It's cheap plastic for most, so if you have a bucket that fits and tue upside down on top or even a milk jug ( empty) if it fits, will give same effect.

 

[Bicoastal]

Heat plate observations-

I had to leave for a few hours on a warm evening. I turned off the heat lamp on my way out. When I came back, about half the keets were under the plate. The other half were piled up in a corner. Peeking underneath, I don’t know that there is enough room for all 26. But the plate is 16x24” and it says it can fit 50 chicks.

Only the dead center of the plate gets hot. The edges don’t feel even mildly warm. So only the keets in the center will benefit. That is misleading.

Right now it’s 80 degrees in the house and I shut off the lamp. Only a few are under the edge, where there is no heat. I’m debating whether I wait them out and force them to figure out the plate.

My experience with a heat plate has not been nearly as successful as other posters have expressed.

I tried to take a few photos to demonstrate height. Am I doing something wrong or do guineas just not take to it like chicks? I can adjust the height (it’s slanted) and I can adjust the heat (it’s about 4 1/4 out of 7). I can dim the lamp. But I can’t seem to convince these keets to enjoy the plate. Do I have to use tough love and cold Turkey stop using the lamp? That’s a bit scary.

ETA- one more adjustment I could make is to put the plate directly where they like to camp under the lamp. Right now, it’s encroaching on their fav sleeping spot but they can line up along the side.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Heat plate observations-

I had to leave for a few hours on a warm evening. I turned off the heat lamp on my way out. When I came back, about half the keets were under the plate. The other half were piled up in a corner. Peeking underneath, I don’t know that there is enough room for all 26. But the plate is 16x24” and it says it can fit 50 chicks.

Only the dead center of the plate gets hot. The edges don’t feel even mildly warm. So only the keets in the center will benefit. That is misleading.

Right now it’s 80 degrees in the house and I shut off the lamp. Only a few are under the edge, where there is no heat. I’m debating whether I wait them out and force them to figure out the plate.

My experience with a heat plate has not been nearly as successful as other posters have expressed.

I tried to take a few photos to demonstrate height. Am I doing something wrong or do guineas just not take to it like chicks? I can adjust the height (it’s slanted) and I can adjust the heat (it’s about 4 1/4 out of 7). I can dim the lamp. But I can’t seem to convince these keets to enjoy the plate. Do I have to use tough love and cold Turkey stop using the lamp? That’s a bit scary.

ETA- one more adjustment I could make is to put the plate directly where they like to camp under the lamp. Right now, it’s encroaching on their fav sleeping spot but they can line up along the side.

I have a Producers Pride plate from Tractor Supply. The whole plate gets quite warm, not just the center. I’m wondering if yours is defective? From looking at your setup, I’m also wondering if it might be better to raise it up some so that get used to getting under it. With the straw piled up in places it might not look very inviting to them right now. Also, when I’ve used a plate I’ve started hatchlings off on it. When I’ve tried to switch partway from lamp to plate, I’ve had the kind of mixed results you’re describing. You might need to make heat lamps work until they get older/things get warmer. I’d consider contacting the manufacturer to describe your problem and see if it’s faulty so you can return or replace.

 

[Bicoastal]

Poop balls I use a butter bowl with abt 1/4" coconut or other liquid oil in it then stand keet in it- holding securely- for a few seconds then use soft cloth also dipped in oil to remove feces. To me, it comes off easily, and the oil leaves a film that reduces, not eliminate- future sticking, and protects their feet from infection (esp coconut oil).

@Sydney65 look at these clean feet and pearly pink toes!

 

[Bicoastal]

There are at least four keets under the front edge of the plate in this photo. I’m hesitant to go higher since the plate is so far above them when laying down. But you are right: it’s a balance between making the space inviting and making the space warm.