“Producers pride flat brooder/heater” question

[member 615286]

I do really like this brooder/heater for many reasons. But it’s discouragingly difficult to find answers to basic questions about it, from the manufacturer or basic flat plate dual-setting brooder/heater info.

Silkies are 6.5 weeks. In a small dry (hopefully with adequate ventilation) coop (3x3ft) *in a snow storm*, with their brooder. Brooder setting seems adequate. But when is the heater setting more appropriate? Maybe never in a small coop? It feels notably hotter when my hand is under the plate on the heater setting. Don’t want to over heat the coop.

Just wondering if anyone can provide more info about this heat plate and the two settings and when it’s appropriate to use each moving forward.

Third and last post for the day. Arguably dominating the threads but admittedly anxious and looking for support.

 

[springvalley123]

I had one, but it suddenly quit.

I do recall:

the brooder setting is 40 watts and the heater setting is 400 watts.

You can NOT just switch it back and forth between the two settings. To use the high setting, you must stand the heater on its stand (that it came with) so it's perpendicular to the floor, or hang it from above, using some hanging apparatus that you provide.

To use the low setting, you'll want to use the 4 legs it comes with, because the only way the birds stay warm is to have it practically touching their backs on that setting.

You really need a thermometer under the hater/brooder plate to see how warm the chicks can get. You need to make sure you are providing enough heat, but not cooking them. You can still go by whether they're huddled or sprawled out and panting also. Also, make sure they're dry and out of a draft since it's snowing.

Good luck!

 

[member 615286]

I had one, but it suddenly quit.

I do recall:

the brooder setting is 40 watts and the heater setting is 400 watts.

You can NOT just switch it back and forth between the two settings. To use the high setting, you must stand the heater on its stand (that it came with) so it's perpendicular to the floor, or hang it from above, using some hanging apparatus that you provide.

To use the low setting, you'll want to use the 4 legs it comes with, because the only way the birds stay warm is to have it practically touching their backs on that setting.

You really need a thermometer under the hater/brooder plate to see how warm the chicks can get. You need to make sure you are providing enough heat, but not cooking them. You can still go by whether they're huddled or sprawled out and panting also. Also, make sure they're dry and out of a draft since it's snowing.

Good luck!

Hugely helpful!! Thank you

 

[aart]

You really need a thermometer under the hater/brooder plate to see how warm the chicks can get.

Better to temp the surface of the plate with an infrared thermometer.
Most plates and my pad measure about 100-120°F.

Plates warm by the chicks touching their back to the plate,
so heat can't be measured like with a lamp.

Plates can be tricky, got to go more by behavior than measuring temps.

 

[member 615286]

Better to temp the surface of the plate with an infrared thermometer.
Most plates and my pad measure about 100-120°F.

Plates warm by the chicks touching their back to the plate,
so heat can't be measured like with a lamp.

Plates can be tricky, got to go more by behavior than measuring temps.

Thank you

 

[daisymae21]

Hugely helpful!! Thank you

My new one stopped working on the brooder selection. I lost 2 chicks and a lot of them were soaking wet, cause they were near their water huddled. I had the heater going in the building or all would have died. First time using it. It was on for about 3 hours, before I went to bed. I will only use a light from now on.