Winter Brooding Advice

[bradley10466]

Test the heat by placing a thermometer about 2" from the bottom of the brooder. Temp should be 95F for baby chicks. Raise or lower the heat lamp to adjust the temperature.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you. This is helpful. Do you know about how far from the bottom your heat lamp is? 2 feet maybe? We typically also do not always get below freezing during the day or even at night like this, but that arctic air visits us on occasion like it is this week.

My lamp is on a chain that I adjust up and down as needed.

A brick makes a good proxy for the height of a chick's back -- sit your thermometer on it (and then be prepared to have chicks sitting on the thermometer and leaving a blob of poop exactly where you want to read it).

In this particular setup, the lamp is only there to increase the effectiveness of the plate in cold weather below the usual rating for the use of plates so if it's above 50F under the lamp that's good enough for this specific purpose.

 

[Heather67]

I’ve got a heat plate and my chics seem cold. They hatched yesterday/last night. I put a heat lamp on and the got quiet and are laying down. I’m not sure what to do. Mine are inside.

 

[3KillerBs]

I’ve got a heat plate and my chics seem cold. They hatched yesterday/last night. I put a heat lamp on and the got quiet and are laying down. I’m not sure what to do. Mine are inside.

Is the heat plate adjusted so that they can touch it with their backs when lying down?

Mine is adjusted so that it slants and the chicks can find a place that fits them well.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Is the heat plate adjusted so that they can touch it with their backs when lying down?

Mine is adjusted so that it slants and the chicks can find a place that fits them well.

This! Also, I had to herd mine underneath a few times before they figured out that was the warm spot. Baby chicks are…not very bright.

 

[3KillerBs]

This! Also, I had to herd mine underneath a few times before they figured out that was the warm spot. Baby chicks are…not very bright.

Yes, part of my chick-into-brooder routine is to dip the beaks into the water as I put them in and then to tuck them all under the plate after all the beaks have been dipped.

 

[Egg Finder]

I’ve got a heat plate and my chics seem cold. They hatched yesterday/last night. I put a heat lamp on and the got quiet and are laying down. I’m not sure what to do. Mine are inside.

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).

 

[3KillerBs]

Also, if these were shipped chicks rather than home-hatched, some hatcheries strongly recommend a lamp over a plate because shipped chicks may be too chilled to really warm up from the chilled state under a plate.

 

[Heather67]

Is the heat plate adjusted so that they can touch it with their backs when lying down?

Mine is adjusted so that it slants and the chicks can find a place that fits them well.

Yes it is

 

[Heather67]

Also, if these were shipped chicks rather than home-hatched, some hatcheries strongly recommend a lamp over a plate because shipped chicks may be too chilled to really warm up from the chilled state under a plate.

We hatched from incubator