Using a Heat Plate

[Sconiemamabear]

We purchased a 12x12 heat plate for our 10 chicks. After doing even more research and reading the manual that comes with the plate, I’m a little worried we made the wrong decision to use one. We will be brooding in our garage come April 1st. We live in Wisconsin, the temp outlook looks to be highs around 45 degrees with lows in the lower to mid 30’s. The manual says the air temp needs to be at least 65 degrees. Looking for advice/experience using a plate with weather similar to ours. It was suggested to drape a smaller towel to cover three sides and angle the plate. Thanks in advance!

 

[msteffa]

I have a 12x12 space for my flock. I have half the space lined with the emergency blanket material, the other half with more sturdy hunter blanket material. 5 heat lamps and it’s been in the 40s at least all season long in idaho.

 

[msteffa]

Do you have a thermometer to measure actual temperature inside the area?

 

[Sconiemamabear]

Do you have a thermometer to measure actual temperature inside the area?

Our temps are colder then they will be come April 1st. It’s an unheated and uninsulated garage. The temps will be about the same as the outside temps at the time maybe a degree or two warmer.

I have a 12x12 space for my flock. I have half the space lined with the emergency blanket material, the other half with more sturdy hunter blanket material. 5 heat lamps and it’s been in the 40s at least all season long in idaho.

I think we are possibly talking about two different things. In my original post, 12x12 referenced the size of my heat plate (12”x12”). We are looking at using a heat plate and not heat lamps. But due to the recommended room temp for heat plate use being higher then the garage temp would be, I’m not sure we could use a heat plate.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Might want to consider a mama heating pad, if you have a working heating pad around without an auto shut off, as it's pretty quick and easy to put together and it doesn't have the same sort of temperature restrictions like heat plates do. I use mine outdoors down to mid 40s, but I've heard of folks using them down in the 20s before.

 

[Sconiemamabear]

Might want to consider a mama heating pad, if you have a working heating pad around without an auto shut off, as it's pretty quick and easy to put together and it doesn't have the same sort of temperature restrictions like heat plates do. I use mine outdoors down to mid 40s, but I've heard of folks using them down in the 20s before.

I read a little more into this method, Like you most people have used them in pretty low temps with great success. May I ask what brand of heat pad you’ve had luck with?

 

[3KillerBs]

The manual says the air temp needs to be at least 65 degrees.

This is why I didn't use a brooder plate until I was gifted one this past weekend because I needed double heat sources for an unusual cold snap.

The one I got didn't have a temperature restriction in the manual, but what I had setup for our unexpected return of winter was that the Big Red Bulb kept that area of the outdoor brooder above 50F and the brooder plate warmed the chicks.

 

[citymeetscountry]

I’ve had our (ducklings) in the garage and some days have been quite chilly. I have a space heater that I put in the garage to help keep the area around the brooder warmer as well (so when I’m out there playing with the babies or just watching them I’m also warm )

 

[Acre4Me]

We use a heat plate. Anytime you have chicks, block drafts. Even if you have a solid sided brooder, they can be negatively impacted by drafts.

My recent chick order was picked up and brooded in a corner of the house for a week due to an impending ice storm, and I didn’t want to trek out to the barn with so much ice and cold temps (and possibility of power outage). I added a tall piece of cardboard to deflect the draft from the HVAC vent and added a beach towel covering the brooder partially at night.

Once they went to the barn, they got a red heat lamp and the heat plate. I adjust the heat plate to be lower on one side, and higher on the other so they can choose where they want to be. I covered one half of the brooder with a doubled up sheet to keep an area draft free. This is the area with the heat plate. The heat lamp is on the other side. On the coldest nights in the barn, they get under the heat plate. Now that they are getting a good amount of feathers, they hang out more under the heat lamp, but still use the heat plate.

 

[DobieLover]

It was suggested to drape a smaller towel to cover three sides and angle the plate. Thanks in advance!

This is what I did. I tucked the plate into a corner of the brooder with solid walls and closed the window that is over the brooder and the pop door to the brooder run to make sure the warming area had no drafts for the first 2 weeks.
I brooded 15 chicks under a 12x12 plate in a NY spring. The temps dropped to 23F one night and I went out to the coop to find the chicks already out from under the plate zipping around and eating. They did great.
I used the Titan plate. I have no idea what the recommendations were regarding ambient air temps. Personally I think they are CYA statements to protect against people lacking common sense.