6 degrees in uninsulated coop. Premier Heat Plate FTW

[PolergirlOH]

I joined BYC partly so I could post this thread. I have an old coop that’s been resurrected to be home to my new flock, and though it has electric run, that electric can’t handle the likes of heat bulbs or even heat pads (50 watts trips fuses, egads).

So I needed something that ran on markedly lower wattage. My searches led me to the Premier Heat Plates.

You guys. This thing has been a game changer. I can’t brood indoors and I live in Ohio where it has been C-O-L-D. We’re talking subzero temps. Coop is completely uninsulated. One morning the temperature inside (INSIDE!!!) my coop was six degrees. Yes.

Six. Degrees.

I thought for sure I would open the door and find frozen chicks. But you know what? My tiny, downy, three-day-old chicks were having a blast in their frigid brooder. They were running around, eating, drinking, checking out their digs, and only occasionally darting under Elecrric Mama for a little warmup. Water was frozen solid. Chicks....were quite the contrary!

Those same chicks are now 3 weeks+ and doing extremely well. Temps are slowly but surely warming up (it was a balmy 50 degrees in the coop today, woohooooo), and the chicks hardly spend any time at all under Electric Mama.

So if you’ve been on the fence, nervous about brooding outside OR using a Premier Heat Plate (I cant speak to any other brand), consider this a ringing endorsement. Seriously, this thing has performed well above my expectations.

Happy chickening!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Great news! I just purchased the Brinsea Eco Glow 20 and love it!
Best wishes and enjoy your precious fuzz babies!

 

[blackdog043]

I'm glad everything has worked out well for you. You will want to get some good electric running to your coop before next winter, so you can keep the waterer from freezing. Unless you are planning on taking water out a few times a day.

I use the mama heat pad to brood in my coop. Weather you use the pad or a plate, I agree, it's a great way to brood chicks.

 

[PolergirlOH]

Unless you are planning on taking water out a few times a day.

Yeah I had to run water out several times. I’m a SAHM so it’s doable but not very convenient. I think the electric will be able to handle a low watt light bulb cookie tin heater for next year.

 

[Steph on the Farm]

My chickies are set to arrive mid-May and I will be brooding them out in the uninsulated coop from the get-go using the MHP method but of course being a first time chicken mom, I'm still a little nervous. So I'm glad to have stumbled upon your post from last month with your testimony on the frigid weather!!

Here in WI, Mother Nature often gets wasted or off her meds in the spring...we had beautiful 72 degrees on Monday and on Wednesday night and all dang day Thursday, we had a terrible ice and snow storm resulting in our 8th canceled school day and our previously green grass is all snow covered again. So you just never know, even in May. We usually don't even bother with our garden until after Memorial Day for that reason!!

Thanks for sharing your happy little chicks' story!! You've put my over-anxious mind at ease!!