Winter Brooding Advice

[Heather67]

Can you feel the plate to make sure it's working? Like said above, I slant mine low on one end and slightly raised in the front so they can choose their level of warmth. It took about an hour or so for my heat plate to be the temp it needed to be. Maybe you could remove the heat lamp now and see if they're warm enough.? Mine are doing fine with just the heat plate in the house and we have the thermostat set for 68 degrees F. (the only room I have available for them is carpeted and I'd prefer them to be in our shop instead).

Yes it’s working but it’s not burning my fingers when touched. Of course I can’t find a thermometer so that doesn’t help

 

[3KillerBs]

We hatched from incubator

Odd.

If their backs are touching the plate it should work for them.

If you touch it with your hand does it feel good and warm?

Is the brooder well-shielded from drafts?

 

[Heather67]

Yes it’s working but it’s not burning my fingers when touched. Of course I can’t find a thermometer so that doesn’t help

Ours is wood floors thermostat at 69. I did check and they are under the plate but as soon as I remove the lamp they go nuts.

 

[Heather67]

Odd.

If their backs are touching the plate it should work for them.

If you touch it with your hand does it feel good and warm?

Is the brooder well-shielded from drafts?

It’s warm yes but the area around the plate isn’t. (If that helps) I also put the front of the plate down a bit to see if that helps.

 

[3KillerBs]

It’s warm yes but the area around the plate isn’t. (If that helps) I also put the front of the plate down a bit to see if that helps.

The plate doesn't warm the area, it only warms the chicks who are in contact with it.

Lowering the plate that way might help.

Piling up the bedding might also help.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Ours is wood floors thermostat at 69. I did check and they are under the plate but as soon as I remove the lamp they go nuts.

Is it dark when you remove the lamp? Chickens don't like change. If that is the first time they are in dark they can get excited but they usually adjust within 15 to 20 minutes. This doesn't sound likely since yours hatched so recently, this is usually more with older chicks that have had time to get used to certain conditions, but I'll mention it as a possibility.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

With mine (from a feed store), it took a few times of herding them under the heat plate and kind of sheep-dogging them back in when they popped out for them to chill enough to realize “hey, it’s warm here!” After that, they were super happy

 

[Heather67]

I put the front down a notch or two and that may have helped. They have been under the plate but chirp. When I put lamp on they get under it and settle down. If nothing else I’ll keep the lamp on so they don’t get cold. I just worry about fires with lamps.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

I put the front down a notch or two and that may have helped. They have been under the plate but chirp. When I put lamp on they get under it and settle down. If nothing else I’ll keep the lamp on so they don’t get cold. I just worry about fires with lamps.

Is it a soft chirp with some twitters in there? Or is it insistent like a car alarm? Mine still chatted to me/each other all day, but only went CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP when they thought something was wrong.

 

[Heather67]

Is it a soft chirp with some twitters in there? Or is it insistent like a car alarm? Mine still chatted to me/each other all day, but only went CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP when they thought something was wrong.

Loud all the time no stopping unless the heat lamp is on. I may take the plate out and just deal with the heat lamp. I want to make sure they are comfortable. And I have 2 more hatching as we speak.