Newbie questions

[lazy gardener]

Your heat lamp is way too hot. That will kill the chicks. I strongly suggest that you return it if you can, or toss it in the trash if you can't. You can easily build a MHP cave with a heating pad and a piece of fencing or a cake cooling rack. @Blooie has a thread and 2 articles about this method. Those of us who have tried the MHP system will never use a heat lamp again. And yes, the MHP can be used in an outdoor coop with temps down into the 20s. This system is much safer for the chicks, very closely resembles the heat provided by a broody hen, and poses much less risk of fire when compared to a heat lamp.

 

[Hulk4583]

Hey all this is really close to what you are talking about. My boss uses this and he likes it thoughts??

 

[aart]

Just get a lower wattage bulb an/or a dimmer extension cord to regulate the heat output. No need to move it to a tote?

 

[aart]

Hey all this is really close to what you are talking about. My boss uses this and he likes it thoughts??

YES!

 

[Hulk4583]

Ok great. How do I know how high to set it??!! Just put my thermometer under it and adjust till its 90?

 

[bobbi-j]

Ok great. How do I know how high to set it??!! Just put my thermometer under it and adjust till its 90?

With new babies, I'd start it at 95 if possible. Again, watch their behavior. You'll know if they're warm enough. With that, they can get out of the heat much more easily than with that lamp heating up the whole coop.

 

[Hulk4583]

Ok great. Thank you everyone for help!!!! Sorry for my ignorance I'm really trying to learn I have a few books which help but a person's knowledge is so much better!

 

[aart]

Ok great. How do I know how high to set it??!! Just put my thermometer under it and adjust till its 90?

With the plate you don't measure temp, you adjust the plate to be able to touch their backs.

 

[Hulk4583]

I read a lot of people angle them.....so one side is a little higher. Is that a smart thing to do?

 

[lazy gardener]

Read the instructions, or do a google/Amazon search for the brand you are looking at. Most of these items function by the chick having contact with the heat plate. You don't measure the temperature. Before spending the money on a heat plate (many of them must be used with ambient temp 50 and above) thoroughly research the specs and instructions for use. For a fraction of that price, you can buy a Sunbeam XPress heating pad with 2 hour auto turn off override switch, and make a MHP cave that will function flawlessly at 20*F and below. It takes less than 2 hours to put one together.