Brooder heat plates and heat lamps
Why do I need a brooder heat plate or heat lamp to raise chicks?
One of the most important jobs a mother hen has is to keep her chicks warm during the first weeks of life. If you’re hatching chicks using an egg incubator or purchasing day-old chicks you'll need a brooder heat plate or heat lamp to keep your chicks warm. The chicks will rely on the heat plate or heat lamp until they’re fully feathered and ready to be moved to their coop at around six weeks old.
Should I purchase a heat lamp or a heat plate?
Heat lamps have been the most popular way to raise chicks for over a century. The heat lamp has two components, a bulb that emits heat (the bulb doesn't produce any light) and a metal shade to focus the warmth down towards the chicks.
Brooder heat plates are a modern alternative to heat lamps. The chicks can rest up against the underside of the heat plate to stay warm as if they were huddled under a mother hen.
Advantages of brooder heat lamps:
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Brooder heat lamps are more affordable to purchase compared to heat plates.
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Brooder lamps heat a larger area. This means they can keep more chicks warm compared to a single heat plate.
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Brooder heat lamps can be easier to adjust as the chicks grow compared to brooder heat plates that don’t have a temperature adjustment knob.
Advantages of brooder heat plates:
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While brooder heat plates are more expensive to purchase, they consume much less electricity than brooder heat lamps. This means over time, electricity savings can make a brooder heat plate the more economical choice.
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A heat plate with a built-in temperature adjustment knob and well-designed legs can be easier to adjust as the chicks grow compared to a brooder heat lamp.
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The chicks can rest directly against the underside of a heat plate. This means a brooder heat plate better resembles the warmth that chicks would receive if under a mother hen.
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Brooder heat plates are a safer option if you'll be raising the chicks around children. This is because the surfaces of the heat plate only get warm, whereas the shade and bulb on a heat lamp can get very hot.
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