When to remove heat plate from brooder?

[ali_hager11]

Hi all! First post here on BYC, I have been a lurker for some time. I have adventured into raising chicks for the first time. Long story short- had 6 in my basement with heat plate but it was too cold and I lost two. Now the other four are in my living room with the heat plate and doing well. They are about 2.5 weeks old. My house is generally around 72 degrees. When can I remove the heat plate from the brooder and let them be okay with just the room air temp?

Thanks!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

When they stop going under to sleep or are fully feathered

 

[rosemarythyme]

If the plate has different heat settings, I would lower the heat output every 5 to 7 days to help wean them off heat. At some point in the next couple of weeks you'll see that they no longer want to use it (or barely use it), and it'll be safe to turn it off or take it away.

 

[ali_hager11]

If the plate has different heat settings, I would lower the heat output every 5 to 7 days to help wean them off heat. At some point in the next couple of weeks you'll see that they no longer want to use it (or barely use it), and it'll be safe to turn it off or take it away.

Three of the four are starting to sleep on the top of it. My smallest girl still goes under it quite often. The heat settings are only "heater" and "brooder." Heater is like 80-90 degrees and brooder is lower but I don't know how much lower - I'd have to look into it. It only raises up slightly so I've thought about putting bricks under the legs to try to move it farther away from the bottom of the brooder.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, glad to see you start posting.

How cold was that basement? I don't use a heat plate myself but read about them a lot on here. From what I've read some heat plates are only good down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, others supposedly can go lower. My understanding is that the temperature under it isn't important, but the chicks need to be able to touch it with their backs. Where I'm heading is that I'd feel a lot better if someone with experience commented on your plan to raise it with bricks if the chicks need the heat.

My brooder is in the coop. I keep one end warm with a heat lamp but the other end cools off quite a bit. I do not lower the heat under the heat lamp as they age, they get acclimated to cooler temperatures by playing in lower temperature areas. Broody hens can raise chicks in temperatures over 90 Fahrenheit. Your chicks are not going to cook at 90 degrees. I fail to see any benefit in gradually reducing the heat output to wean them off of the heat. They'll do that themselves by not going under it as most of yours are doing now.

When you have a room full of people it is pretty common for some to be too warm, some too cool, and some just right. People are comfortable at different temperatures. Chicks can be the same way. Some like it warmer, some like it cooler. That may explain why one of yours is still going under there. It's probably not necessary for it to live and thrive, but it may just be more comfortable.

So to your basic question, when to take out the heat source. When they stop using it. I don't go by a calendar. I don't believe that at 3 weeks and 2 days every chick needs a certain temperature but at 3 weeks and 3 days they don't. Each chick is different and we all have different set-ups. I try to go by behaviors, mine generally tell me what they want (let alone what they need) by their actions. With that said, I'd be comfortable taking the heat source out at 3 weeks in an ambient temperature of 72 F. But just because I'm comfortable doesn't mean you would be. Let them tell you. It won't hurt anything to leave it in, though it may make cleaning a little harder.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Three of the four are starting to sleep on the top of it. My smallest girl still goes under it quite often. The heat settings are only "heater" and "brooder." Heater is like 80-90 degrees and brooder is lower but I don't know how much lower - I'd have to look into it. It only raises up slightly so I've thought about putting bricks under the legs to try to move it farther away from the bottom of the brooder.

As far as the settings, I'd try turning it down to the brooder setting and check with your hand how hot it feels after a little while. As long as it's still got some heat output that should be good enough at this point, with the temperatures in the house. Obviously if the one that's actively using it is unhappy with the temperature change, you can always turn it back up.

If the plate is sitting too low compared to their current size, boosting it up on bricks or scrap pieces of wood is a good idea, but sounds like the bigger ones are already weaning themselves off it regardless.

 

[NatJ]

Long story short- had 6 in my basement with heat plate but it was too cold and I lost two. Now the other four are in my living room with the heat plate and doing well. They are about 2.5 weeks old. My house is generally around 72 degrees. When can I remove the heat plate from the brooder and let them be okay with just the room air temp?

When the chicks are no longer sleeping under the plate, they are fine at whatever that room temperature is. So at that point, you can either remove the plate, or take the chicks and the plate to a cooler place (like back to the basement, or outdoors to a coop.)

 

[jreardon1918]

Western Mass... We are a stones throw from Gillette stadium. Our chicks went to the covered outdoor run at a few days old. They are out in the brooder, only using the heating pad at night. It got down to 44F some time last night. The plate will provide just enough warmth to simulate the momma hen. Even when it gets a bit cold.

 

[Devorah]

When they stop going under to sleep or are fully feathered

Hi - my situation is similar. I have 12 chicks a little over a week old. They are in a brooder in my living room where the temp averages around 72. Temps may be higher since the days are getting warmer (low 80’s). For the last few days, most of them have been sleeping outside the heat plate (which is on and now raised higher).

Should I turn off the heat plate? Thanks.

 

[Jaime918]

Hi - my situation is similar. I have 12 chicks a little over a week old. They are in a brooder in my living room where the temp averages around 72. Temps may be higher since the days are getting warmer (low 80’s). For the last few days, most of them have been sleeping outside the heat plate (which is on and now raised higher).

Should I turn off the heat plate? Thanks.

Personal opinion they are to young still, I wouldn't take it until they fully feather. It might be to warm for them and needs raised a little more.