Quick heat/temp question

[SeaSea47]

I had 22 baby chicks arrive in the mail today. All seem to be healthy - when I put them in the brooder, most drank water and ate. A few went right for the heat plate, but all day at any given time there were 15+ out running around away from the plate - chasing each other, chasing a gnat, pecking around, etc. Some would go up to it and rest against its side (it’s 3.5-ish inches from the ground with a super thin layer of paper towel and pine shavings). I think they barely touch it when standing under it.

Anyway, it’s 78-80 degrees in the sunroom where the brooder is and won’t get much cooler tonight, but I’ve never raised chicks with the heating plate alone so I panicked and turned a space heater on low about three or four feet from the brooder. I went back out about 30 minutes later and about 10 of them had moved out from under the plate and were sleeping in a pile next to it. About 6-8 others were sleeping around the edges of the plate with their heads sticking out. So, I turned the heater off, thinking they were getting too hot.

Is the plate enough? I used it with my ducks this spring - and I had way less of them - but they seemed to snuggle up together more than the chicks do. Thanks!

 

[katelwil]

If the chicks aren't wailing once bed time comes around, I think they're good. Sometimes I will partially cover my brooder with a blanket to make sure that they are warm enough in there. As long as they are all able to touch the plate, they should be good. And considering there are so many chicks I think they'll also feed off of eachothers body heat.

In my experience I always know they are too hot or too cold if they are being louder than normal.

 

[katelwil]

Also, if you're worried about them being too hot you could always raise it some.

 

[SeaSea47]

If the chicks aren't wailing once bed time comes around, I think they're good. Sometimes I will partially cover my brooder with a blanket to make sure that they are warm enough in there. As long as they are all able to touch the plate, they should be good. And considering there are so many chicks I think they'll also feed off of eachothers body heat.

In my experience I always know they are too hot or too cold if they are being louder than normal.

Thank you - they got a little loud at one point tonight (I could hear them in the living room), but when I checked them both times before bed, they were all quiet as can be. One chirped a few times, but other than that, not a peep.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As long as they know where the plate is and it's running fine (warm to the touch), you can let them do as they please. Absolutely no reason to supplement extra heat. The point of using a plate (or heat pad) is to allow the chicks to warm up when needed, while having the option of getting away from heat when they don't.

 

[SeaSea47]

Thanks, everyone. They all survived the night! One is a little sluggish, but I'm keeping an eye on her. They are staying under the plate more this morning, but we're supposed to get up to the high 80s today, so hopefully, they'll warm up some.

 

[esme13]

Thanks, everyone. They all survived the night! One is a little sluggish, but I'm keeping an eye on her. They are staying under the plate more this morning, but we're supposed to get up to the high 80s today, so hopefully, they'll warm up some.

Do you have some electrolytes for the one that’s a bit sluggish ? The plate is the best. Mine used it as they wished , I did make sure they could touch it. They were constantly in and out through the day. By 3 weeks they seemed to use it less, which was interesting. My house is 74 degrees with ac. And I have 10. The heat plate should defiantly provide enough heat

 

[SeaSea47]

Do you have some electrolytes for the one that’s a bit sluggish ? The plate is the best. Mine used it as they wished , I did make sure they could touch it. They were constantly in and out through the day. By 3 weeks they seemed to use it less, which was interesting. My house is 74 degrees with ac. And I have 10. The heat plate should defiantly provide enough heat

I actually just took the electrolyte water out (they've had it since about 6 pm last night). I watched for about 20 minutes, and they'd go up to it and walk away to the regular water to drink, even the sluggish one. As for the heat plate, I've noticed several of them like to sleep with their backs up against it, but their heads sticking out around the edges. At first I thought it wasn't big enough for them, but I lifted it up and only a few were in the center, so I think they're okay.