Brooder heat source

[aart]

Help...I just broke my brooder light and the only other heat source I have is a warming mat for starting seedlings.....anyone ever tried this?

@Chooks n Kids Maybe...use it to try something like this https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/862691/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate

 

[KelseyBoxer]

I love the ecoglow. It does have a few little problems. Be careful when adjusting the height. The legs need to be pried off and moved to another hole, but the tabs can break. Use a screw-driver and don't force it. ( Lesson learned thanks to my hubby). Also, the little pooping monsters get on top of the heater and the heat bakes it on! It cleans up easy if you do it every day. That said, I love the fact that this heater is DC and safe as far as fire goes. It can fall over and be buried in the shavings with no worries. The chicks seem to be calmer and run in and out all day long. I use it on my enclosed poarch so they get natural light thru the windows.

 

[bevis]

Another option is the Sweeter Heater. They come in many sizes and are awesome.
We bought the 11x16 and the chicks love it. No chance of fire and they can have
a normal sleep cycle. After doing a bunch of testing on red heat bulbs, it was
very clear to me that the bulbs were not the way to go. Too much fire hazard
and loss over distance on the bulbs are terrible. I can see no down side to the
Sweeter Heater and it has a 3 year warranty. Its also made here in the USA in Wisconsin.

After reading all the 1 and 2 star reviews on amazon for the ecoglow, we decided
to go with the Sweeter Heater and have no regrets.
This is the 11" x 16" unit and its $90. Thats not as cheap as a bulb setup but no fire hazard
and the birds love it.

Here are some pics

 

[Chicke lady]

Have you checked the temp under it? What temp does it keep?

 

[bevis]

Yes i did. I posted a thread about the TSC Producers Pride red heat bulbs where i tested the performance
of those bulbs with a non contact laser thermometer . The results shocked me and was the reason i bought the Sweeter Heater.
Here is that thread - https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...infrared-bulbs-from-tsc-producers-pride-brand

I used the same laser thermometer to set the height of the sweeter heater. Right now i have 1 week old chicks
under it so i set the height of the heater so i have 92 degrees at the bottom of the brooder where the chicks are.
You can set it lower for day old chicks and raise it a small amount each week to adjust for the age of your chicks.
The sweeter heater will never burn one of your chicks because it never gets hot enough on the surface of the
heater to do so. It will never get over 185 degrees on the surface. I have laid my hand on it and not been burnt.

Here is a link to sweeter heater customer comments and uses.

http://sweeterheater.com/page4.asp



With a 3 year warranty, made in the USA , major zoos / sea world / zoological gardens using them
and been in business for 20 years, I think its the absolute safest way of warming your animals.
There is no element to burn out either. The heating surface is impregnated with carbon evenly
across the heating surface and the carbon is the source of the heating. It has very even heating
across the entire surface with no hot spots.

I don't think anyone would be disappointed with this product.
Only down side is the cost. But sometimes you get what you pay for.

i do not work for infratherm / sweeter heater. I just think their product is worth the praise.

 

[eeverett]

I really like my sweeter heater. The chicks are very content and quiet. They seem to have normal sleep wake cycles. Clearly a much lower risk of fire compared to a heart lamp. Made in the USA. Similar models by Brinsea and Premiere1. The sweeter heater however can be used both in the brooder and in the coop. I'm not sure the other 2 can be used to warm a coop?

 

[Cearbhael]

I like the mama heating pad for brooding. It seems to simulate an actual brooding hen, though albeit, it doesn't move. There is a thread that explains how to set this up. Not sure if it is in raising baby chicks or managing your flock but I highly suggest reading the whole thing (9 pages)

 

[Cearbhael]

I am new to this forum and don't know how to put a link to the Momma Heating Pad thread but it definitely is in Raising Baby Chicks, and is an active thread

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I am new to this forum and don't know how to put a link to the Momma Heating Pad thread but it definitely is in Raising Baby Chicks, and is an active thread

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

 

[shorttimer]

I got my first ever chicks today & used the Mama heating pad, like in Blooie's thread. Perfect would be the word I use to describe how well it works, and luckily I had one just laying around.