Hello! I am a new chicken mama to 5 little cuties (Australorp, Speckled Sussex, Wyandotte, Barred Rock and Lavender Orpington). We just picked them up yesterday from a local hatchery. I have one of the pop-up dog playpens and purchased EVERYTHING lol (too much). The hatchery very strongly encouraged us to use a heat lamp for a couple of days. We put up the lamp with a 150 watt infrared bulb. I also got an infrared temperature gun to check the temps in the brooder. The chicks were doing great - eating, drinking, etc. However, I hated the lamp. The chicks wouldn't settle, I felt like I couldn't get the placement correct (even though the temperature was perfect at 93-95), I was freaked out about the fire risk and it made my room SO hot. Before bed, my daughter and I decided to switch the heat lamp out for the Rent-A-Coop brooder plate I had purchased. We had bought feather fringe and attached it around the outside.
We took each chick and put them under the brooder plate a few times. After about 5 minutes, they all went under, completely settled and were all quiet. They were SO cozy and love the feathers!! I will never use a heat lamp again. I don't have to worry about checking the temperature or burning my house down.
This is just my (first-time) experience but the brooder plate has been 100 times better for us than the heat lamp was.
This morning they are all happily eating, drinking and going in and out from under the brooder plate. Let the adventure begin!!
We took each chick and put them under the brooder plate a few times. After about 5 minutes, they all went under, completely settled and were all quiet. They were SO cozy and love the feathers!! I will never use a heat lamp again. I don't have to worry about checking the temperature or burning my house down.
This is just my (first-time) experience but the brooder plate has been 100 times better for us than the heat lamp was.
This morning they are all happily eating, drinking and going in and out from under the brooder plate. Let the adventure begin!!