Swapped my heat lamp for a brooder plate last month

Used to keep a red heat lamp over my chicks but after a near miss with a dust fire I switched to a brooder plate. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed their chicks sleeping different?

2 comments

2 Comments

harper_smith20h agoMost Upvoted

Jessica, have you actually tried both back to back with the same batch of chicks? I switched last year after a similar scare and the difference in their sleeping was pretty clear to me. Under the lamp they would pile up tight and sometimes pant from the heat, but with the plate they spread out more and sleep in these little donut circles around the edge. It's a slower, more natural warmth that seems to let them settle on their own terms rather than fighting the hot spot.

jessica_dixon22h ago

Man, a near miss with a fire? That's a little dramatic. Chicks sleep however they want, plate or lamp, doesn't really change much.