Time to wean off heating plate?

[EliteTempleton]

Very good point!!! The only thing I dislike is them pooping on top of the heating plate. Such a mess and takes a long time to clean even with protective covers. I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to do that anymore haha. That’s why I was rushing a little to wean them off the heating plate.

Yeah mine moved into the shed now with just the 250W light centered between two roost bars. They're old enough they can group up under the light, I'm not cleaning that again... I kinda regret buying the heat plate, the light is simpler and cleaner.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

What if they all sleep on top of it?? Yesterday I tried taking it away and they were not happy at all. All tried to sleep on top of each other in a corner. Then I added it back in and they all happily fell asleep on top….. I’m confused.

So they may want it but they don't need it. I agree with @rosemarythyme, it was a habit.
Chickens like to sleep higher up. If you put some platform in there shaped like the plate, they would use it.

Yeah mine moved into the shed now with just the 250W light centered between two roost bars. They're old enough they can group up under the light, I'm not cleaning that again... I kinda regret buying the heat plate, the light is simpler and cleaner.

The Premier heat plates have a dome on top that prevent roosting on them.
I once used 250 watt lamps but after I realized how much electricity I was wasting I bought two heat plates and never looked back.
Additionally, lamps can break and using them prevent allowing the chicks to have a daily dark period.

 

[EliteTempleton]

So they may want it but they don't need it. I agree with @rosemarythyme, it was a habit.
Chickens like to sleep higher up. If you put some platform in there shaped like the plate, they would use it.

The Premier heat plates have a dome on top that prevent roosting on them.
I once used 250 watt lamps but after I realized how much electricity I was wasting I bought two heat plates and never looked back.
Additionally, lamps can break and prevent allowing the chicks to have a daily dark period.

I also offered a board to roost on (that's in the shed now too), they still wanted to be on the plate. Also I'm not sure 3-4 chicks can cuddle for warmth as well as a dozen. I'm not saying they're not ready though, maybe offer and old desk lamp with a 60 watt bulb when you have time to check them often? I know how you feel, gotta get them to the next stage but you don't want them to suffer either. I've read different temperatures by weeks, there all close but vary by like 10 degrees. On the other hand remember chickens are raised world wide in all kinds of conditions, including no electricity, with success. They are tougher than you think but those other conditions include a mother hen for warmth (who might kick them out of the nest by now! ).

More energy consumption is part of the equation but I also don't like not being able to check up on all of them because they are hiding under it and in the garage, in the brooder, when it's 15 at night, my temperature lazer was showing pretty low temperatures under there and most of them preferred the lamp. I give them one of the 3 pallet boards in a darker area with a board over that side, they can dark nap over there.

I'm not concerned about a chicken breaking a lamp hung properly. Give them the 18" of head room, don't trust the clamp, watch your clearances and material type and it's going to work safely. Try giving a goat a heat lamp they can reach or chew on the cord, that's going to break and probably light up the building . Lamp next to wood also bad. The steel and poly tubs are popular for a reason.

I think it depends on where you are, if you don't worry about your pipes and spigots freezing in the winter the plates probably have more value. Also if you can get local birds that don't have the stress of being mailed so you don't have to worry about pasty butt as much and have better genes maybe you don't have to check them as often and it's okay for them to hide. Personally I'll keep the plate as a backup should a bulb burn out or if I don't have power and need to conserve amps to run the generator, that kind of thing.

 

[ninafe]

I also offered a board to roost on (that's in the shed now too), they still wanted to be on the plate. Also I'm not sure 3-4 chicks can cuddle for warmth as well as a dozen. I'm not saying they're not ready though, maybe offer and old desk lamp with a 60 watt bulb when you have time to check them often? I know how you feel, gotta get them to the next stage but you don't want them to suffer either. I've read different temperatures by weeks, there all close but vary by like 10 degrees. On the other hand remember chickens are raised world wide in all kinds of conditions, including no electricity, with success. They are tougher than you think but those other conditions include a mother hen for warmth (who might kick them out of the nest by now! ).

More energy consumption is part of the equation but I also don't like not being able to check up on all of them because they are hiding under it and in the garage, in the brooder, when it's 15 at night, my temperature lazer was showing pretty low temperatures under there and most of them preferred the lamp. I give them one of the 3 pallet boards in a darker area with a board over that side, they can dark nap over there.

I'm not concerned about a chicken breaking a lamp hung properly. Give them the 18" of head room, don't trust the clamp, watch your clearances and material type and it's going to work safely. Try giving a goat a heat lamp they can reach or chew on the cord, that's going to break and probably light up the building . Lamp next to wood also bad. The steel and poly tubs are popular for a reason.

I think it depends on where you are, if you don't worry about your pipes and spigots freezing in the winter the plates probably have more value. Also if you can get local birds that don't have the stress of being mailed so you don't have to worry about pasty butt as much and have better genes maybe you don't have to check them as often and it's okay for them to hide. Personally I'll keep the plate as a backup should a bulb burn out or if I don't have power and need to conserve amps to run the generator, that kind of thing.

I used the heat lamp for a day and retuned it back to the store because I convinced it was going to lit something up on fire. Plus I only have four chicks so a small heating plate worked much better. Also the night that I had the heating lamp, I came back from getting the mail and as I was walking toward my house in the dark I saw the guest room ( where the chicks were housed) and there was this bright red hue coming out of the windows from behind the blinds from the heat lamp and it seriously scared me. It was like there was some cult activity going on in there. I didn’t want the neighbors to talk hahaha. So that was another reason we switched to the heating plate

 

[EliteTempleton]

I used the heat lamp for a day and retuned it back to the store because I convinced it was going to lit something up on fire. Plus I only have four chicks so a small heating plate worked much better. Also the night that I had the heating lamp, I came back from getting the mail and as I was walking toward my house in the dark I saw the guest room ( where the chicks were housed) and there was this bright red hue coming out of the windows from behind the blinds from the heat lamp and it seriously scared me. It was like there was some cult activity going on in there. I didn’t want the neighbors to talk hahaha. So that was another reason we switched to the heating plate

Haha I meant to mention that. My plate is pretty big (only option at the farm store). Smaller ones have to be better to see them with! Plus I think you said you were in AZ or something, good fit for you.

I had them in our den/mudroom/fireplace room for the first week+ and yeah that red hue had me for a couple moments thinking how big is the fire?! Oh it's just the light! I have enough acres only the folks driving by would see it and it just was glowing more than usual. Oh and I use orange string lights in there during fall hunting to get dressed but still be able to see when I start walking out back. No late Halloween parties in here! Heck Maybe the neighbors already think I run a cult, ut oh! I see neighbors houses but they're far enough away you walk or drive over to them to talk, they're past shouting distance other than maybe to get their attention but they wouldn't know what you were saying. If it weren't a fireplace room it would be an extra odd glow for sure!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I also offered a board to roost on (that's in the shed now too), they still wanted to be on the plate. Also I'm not sure 3-4 chicks can cuddle for warmth as well as a dozen. I'm not saying they're not ready though, maybe offer and old desk lamp with a 60 watt bulb when you have time to check them often? I know how you feel, gotta get them to the next stage but you don't want them to suffer either. I've read different temperatures by weeks, there all close but vary by like 10 degrees. On the other hand remember chickens are raised world wide in all kinds of conditions, including no electricity, with success. They are tougher than you think but those other conditions include a mother hen for warmth (who might kick them out of the nest by now! ).

More energy consumption is part of the equation but I also don't like not being able to check up on all of them because they are hiding under it and in the garage, in the brooder, when it's 15 at night, my temperature lazer was showing pretty low temperatures under there and most of them preferred the lamp. I give them one of the 3 pallet boards in a darker area with a board over that side, they can dark nap over there.

I'm not concerned about a chicken breaking a lamp hung properly. Give them the 18" of head room, don't trust the clamp, watch your clearances and material type and it's going to work safely. Try giving a goat a heat lamp they can reach or chew on the cord, that's going to break and probably light up the building . Lamp next to wood also bad. The steel and poly tubs are popular for a reason.

I think it depends on where you are, if you don't worry about your pipes and spigots freezing in the winter the plates probably have more value. Also if you can get local birds that don't have the stress of being mailed so you don't have to worry about pasty butt as much and have better genes maybe you don't have to check them as often and it's okay for them to hide. Personally I'll keep the plate as a backup should a bulb burn out or if I don't have power and need to conserve amps to run the generator, that kind of thing.

I agree, 3-4 chicks are not likely enough to keep each other warm if ambient temperature is less than ideal.
Heat plates are not sufficient to keep chicks warm in 15F temps.
The chicks don't break the lamps, the lamps break on their own. I've had it happen. They are just fragile.

 

[EliteTempleton]

I agree, 3-4 chicks are not likely enough to keep each other warm if ambient temperature is less than ideal.
Heat plates are not sufficient to keep chicks warm in 15F temps.
The chicks don't break the lamps, the lamps break on their own. I've had it happen. They are just fragile.

Fair enough what do I expect for $10 (got them in December before the price of everything doubled)? I gave my last one away so I've never used any for multiple years.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

We had a planned power outage last summer that lasted for over a week when my chicks were same age. I left the non-heated MHP in the coop brooder for reasons people have already mentioned, they don't like change and they do like MHP for reasons other than heat (security, routine., a place to huddle up.) I have made my own towel covers with velcro to mitigate the poop mess. I just switch out hand towels on top of the cover daily. I think you can do press n seal over the plates that cleans up easier. Not sure, I prefer heating pads to plates for many reasons, especially the cleaning issue.

 

[ChellesChickens]

We had a planned power outage last summer that lasted for over a week when my chicks were same age. I left the non-heated MHP in the coop brooder for reasons people have already mentioned, they don't like change and they do like MHP for reasons other than heat (security, routine., a place to huddle up.) I have made my own towel covers with velcro to mitigate the poop mess. I just switch out hand towels on top of the cover daily. I think you can do press n seal over the plates that cleans up easier. Not sure, I prefer heating pads to plates for many reasons, especially the cleaning issue.

Ohhhh press and seal! GENIUS! I’m so over cleaning poop off the plate! I clean it… 2 seconds later they’ve all pooped on it

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I used the heat lamp for a day and retuned it back to the store because I convinced it was going to lit something up on fire. Plus I only have four chicks so a small heating plate worked much better. Also the night that I had the heating lamp, I came back from getting the mail and as I was walking toward my house in the dark I saw the guest room ( where the chicks were housed) and there was this bright red hue coming out of the windows from behind the blinds from the heat lamp and it seriously scared me. It was like there was some cult activity going on in there. I didn’t want the neighbors to talk hahaha. So that was another reason we switched to the heating plate

My living room veggie grow tent omits a purple light outside my window and I wonder what the neighbor thinks! Its my cousin tho and we live on a dead end so theres that, but i certainly let him know what that weird purple light shooting out my window is, lol