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www.premier1supplies.com • 1-800-282-6631 Heat Plates & Covers Small plate: 12" x 12". Keeps up to 20 chicks warm. 22 watts/hr. Large plate: 16" x 24". Keeps up to 50 chicks warm. 66 watts/hr. Height of both sizes adjusts from 1.5" to 6" by adjusting the yellow legs. 110v. 1 year warranty. ABS plastic. Heating Plate, small, 5 lb ........#540203 $47.00 Plate Cover, small, 0.50 lb ......#540205 $15.00 Heating Plate, large, 7.45 lb.....#540204 $73.00 Plate Cover, large, 1.35 lb........#540206 $29.00 Setting up a brooder… What is a brooder? A chick’s first home. Must be as warm and secure as a mother hen. Can be as simple as a cardboard box with bedding and a heat lamp—or a commercial appliance designed for hundreds of chicks. Why do I need a brooder? Newly hatched chicks require constant warmth and ready access to feed and fresh water. It should be a safe, secure structure that is protected from drafts and in a location where you can frequently check on them. What about bedding? Bedding: • Insulates the brooder floor. • Gives chicks something to scratch. • Absorbs moisture and droppings. For bedding use: • Shredded newspaper (day one). • Chopped straw. • Wood shavings. • Crushed corncobs, peat moss or coarse sand. Replace bedding often. Birds will soil it. Clean bedding = clean chicks = healthy, live birds. What about heat lamps? Heat lamps (see pp. 08–09) should be placed about 18" above the bedding. The temperature is considered comfortable when chicks are evenly distributed throughout the brooder. If huddled only under the lamp, the chicks are too cool. So lower the lamp. Raise the lamp if chicks are scattered around the outer edges of the brooder. Is bulb color important? Opinions on this vary: • Clear bulbs provides more light. • Some users suggest red bulbs reduce the risk of chickens pecking one another. Use the yellow legs to set the height low enough so it almost touches the backs of chicks. As chicks grow, raise the plate by adjusting the yellow legs. Use our Chick Nipple Drinker (p. 14) to provide clean water. Heating Plates A Heat Plate or a Heat Lamp: Which is better? Heat Lamp advantages: • Cheaper to buy. • Provides light as well as heat. • Heat radiates over a larger area so it works for more chicks. Heat Plate advantages: • Uses much less electricity. Only 22 watts (66 for the larger plate) vs 175 or 250 watts for a heat lamp. • Less risk of fire because of the much lower surface temperature (125°). • A hen keeps chicks warm beneath a heat source. So does a heat plate. Height adjustment is important. As the chicks grow, use the adjustable legs to increase the height of the plate above the bedding and chicks. The rugged plate cover (optional) prevents older chicks from perching on top and fouling the unit with droppings. However, the plate can be hand- washed to remove dust and debris. Small Plate Large Plate Cover Cover