Raising chicks is a fun task, but a lot of responsibility is tied to it. You must ensure your chicks have everything they need to grow into strong and healthy adults, including warmth. There are two primary methods to keep your chicks warm, but which one is better; heating plates or lamps?
Heating plates are the newer heating options, but they are safer than heating lamps. Heating plates are lower in watts than heat lamps, and they are more stable, reducing any fire risk. They also don’t give off light, which helps keep your chicks in a good day-night routine.
This article will go through all there is to know about the differences between heating plates and heat lamps, including the cost and safety of the products, to help you choose the right heating option for your brood box!
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Heating Plates Vs. Heat Lamps For Raising Chicks
Raising chickens is a fun and rewarding task many people enjoy. Watching the eggs hatch and the little chicks grow can warm your heart and give you a sense of accomplishment and wonder.
Even though this is a wonderful process, it can still be challenging as you want to ensure your chicks receive the best care possible to allow them to grow into strong and happy adults. A part of this care is keeping the chicks warm in their brood box.
You can use two main methods to do this: a heating plate or a heat lamp. Both heating options are relatively good, but which one is the best? Let’s go through these heating options to help pick the right one for your brooding box.
Heating Plates
Heating plates* are electric plates placed on four poles at their corners, allowing you to adjust the height of the plates according to the size of your chicks. These plates allow the chicks to go underneath them to get warm, with the ability to move away from the plate if they get too hot.
These plates come in various sizes, so you should easily be able to find one that fits your brood box. Heating plates are fairly new to the market, but they are easy to use and will ensure your chicks are warm and happy.
Heat Lamps
Heating lamps* have a special light bulb that helps radiate heat in a certain direction, allowing your brooding box to have hot and cold spots. Heating lamps generally come in various sizes, so you should be able to find one that fits your brooding box nicely.
Some people find heating lamps bulky, and they can take up a lot of space in your brooding box if you don’t buy the right size lamp. Heating lamps have been around for decades and are relatively easy to use.
The Differences Between Heating Options For Brood Boxes
Now that you know more about heating plates and lamps, we can go through the main differences between the two heating options. These differences are important as they can affect your wallet later if you don’t pick the right heating option for your brooder.
Cost Of the Heating Options
The first difference we will examine is the cost difference between the heating options. The initial price of the heating lamp usually starts at about $20 if you buy the smallest option. Good-quality heating plates can cost you around $40 or more, depending on the size and brand you buy.
So, initially, the heat lamp seems to be cheaper. However, things become interesting when we look at the cost of running each heating option and maintenance. Heat lamps run at higher watts than heating plates, meaning they cost more to run than heating plates.
Heat lamps also require you to purchase light bulbs and emitters frequently, depending on your model, which can also be costly. However, heating plates are a once-off purchase that doesn’t require any parts to be replaced, saving you money in the long run.
Appearance And Ease Of Use
Heating plates are pretty small and thin, and they have an adjustable height to accommodate your chicks as they grow. Heat lamps can be bulky and require much more space to set up, which can be challenging for people working in tight spaces.
If you have a small brood box or your brood box is in a small area, you might need to buy tripods for heat lamps, which is another cost. Both heating plates and lamps are fairly easy to use, but the lamps do require more maintenance than the plates.
Safety Concerns
When buying a heat source for your brood box, you need to ensure your chicks are as safe as possible so that they can grow into healthy adults without complications. Heating plates are on a stable stand and are low-wattage electronics, meaning they are less of a fire hazard.
Heat lamps have a high wattage and can be unstable in the brood box if you are not careful. This can trigger a fire to begin in your brood box if the lamp falls over and ignites the chick’s bedding. Many people stay away from heat lamps for this reason.
Light Production
The last difference between these heating options for your brood box is the light produced by the heating sources. We must remember that chickens are active during the day and sleep most of the night, and the chicks in your brood box will do the same.
So, at night you need to try to keep the brood box as dark as possible to allow the chicks to sleep and get a good night’s rest, but you also need to keep them warm. Heat lamps produce a lot of light, disturb the chick’s sleep, and interrupt their day-night cycle.
Heating plates give off the perfect amount of heat to keep your chicks warm, and they don’t produce any light, making them perfect for the chicks’ night-time routine.
Which Heating Option Is Best: Heating Plate Or Heat Lamp?
So, which heating option is considered the best for your brood box? Even though heat lamps have been around for decades and have done their job well, heating plates have quickly moved up the ranks.
Many people are swapping out their heat lamps for heating plates in their brood boxes as they are safer and keep the chicks in a good day-night routine. Plus, heating plates are cheaper in the long run, saving you money.
Conclusion
Heat lamps have been around for decades, and if you still want to use one, it’s perfectly fine and will keep your chicks warm. You will need to be more careful with a heat lamp than a heating plate.
Heating plates are the newer heating options, but they work well and are worth the up-front cost when you buy them. These plates are safe, reliable, and cost-effective, providing your chicks with the perfect amount of heat. Good luck raising your chicks!
