Proper setup for heating plate?

[LoreWalker]

Simple question, or so I thought, but I can't really find a clear answer. I'm possibly just not using the correct terms in my search:
How high or low off the floor of the cage should I set the heating plate?

I set the plate at an angle so that it is higher in the front and lower in the back. I read this makes it easier for them to find the temperature they're most comfortable with. But should their backs always touch the plate when they're standing up, even in the front?

My 16 chicks are only 4-5 days old, so they still rely on the plate for most of their warmth. I want to make sure they're not getting too cold during the night. They're being kept inside at the moment, the temperature in the room goes down to about 14c/57f at night. I put a piece of fleece fabric over the top and partially over the sides to help keep in some of the warmth.

Some of them were sleeping with their heads poking outside the plate like the picture below, though most do seem to flock towards the lower side of the plate. I worry of maybe they just don't have enough space under the low side, when they're all laying down, and that's why they're sleeping on the sides, rather than sleeping there because they are too warm.


This is how much space they have between their backs and the plate, you can see they can touch the plate in the back but not in front. (Excuse the dirty floor, I took the picture just before I removed the plate for a moment to replace it with clean newspapers)


Is there a "rule of thumb" for setting up a correct height or is it just a matter of figuring out what they seem to be most comfortable with?

Thanks in advance to anyone taking the time to read and/or answer this!
- a nervous firsttime chick raiser.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Simple question, or so I thought, but I can't really find a clear answer. I'm possibly just not using the correct terms in my search:
How high or low off the floor of the cage should I set the heating plate?

I set the plate at an angle so that it is higher in the front and lower in the back. I read this makes it easier for them to find the temperature they're most comfortable with. But should their backs always touch the plate when they're standing up, even in the front?

My 16 chicks are only 4-5 days old, so they still rely on the plate for most of their warmth. I want to make sure they're not getting too cold during the night. They're being kept inside at the moment, the temperature in the room goes down to about 14c/57f at night. I put a piece of fleece fabric over the top and partially over the sides to help keep in some of the warmth.

Some of them were sleeping with their heads poking outside the plate like the picture below, though most do seem to flock towards the lower side of the plate. I worry of maybe they just don't have enough space under the low side, when they're all laying down, and that's why they're sleeping on the sides, rather than sleeping there because they are too warm.
View attachment 2684075

This is how much space they have between their backs and the plate, you can see they can touch the plate in the back but not in front. (Excuse the dirty floor, I took the picture just before I removed the plate for a moment to replace it with clean newspapers)
View attachment 2684082

Is there a "rule of thumb" for setting up a correct height or is it just a matter of figuring out what they seem to be most comfortable with?

Thanks in advance to anyone taking the time to read and/or answer this!
- a nervous firsttime chick raiser.

Looks little high in the front. I go a couple knots above the middle lump. The back is always abit lower then the front.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think ideally the high side should be high enough for them to just barely touch their backs to it standing up, and low side should be low enough that they can sit on the ground and still press against the plate.

You will need to adjust it regularly as they grow.