Almost had a fire !

[fduncan]

Went out to throw the new chicks in the brooder in the garage when we got back from town and opened the door to a garage filled with smoke . The light had some how fallen in the brooder ( the little sqeezy handle some how came unscrewed maybe the barn cats were messing with it ? ) and was smoldering in my older chicks tank they all seem fine but that thing was filled with smoke I also had younger chicks out there . What should I watch for and is their anything I can do for their lungs ? I know they have to hurt mine due from just running in and out pulling out the chicks and rabbits . Also anyone have any safer alternatives to heat lamps ? I plan to invest in an ecoglow but that's out of our budget this paycheck .
Thanks
Fallon

 

[JackE]

You were very LUCKY. As you know now, don't EVER trust the clamp the comes with the light. I use bailing wire to hang my brooder heatlamp from a screweye put into a stud in the ceiling. It won't come loose from that. It also makes it real easy to raise and put the lamp where you want it.
Hopefully, the chicks are OK, as the smoke was mostly above them, hopefully.
Jack

 

[JesseK]

I second Jack's suggestion. I hang my brooder lamp from a small chain, over a rafter and hooked onto the wall. That way it is really easy to raise it as needed while they grow, and there is no risk of it falling. Hope they're all okay! So glad you got there in time!

 

[NovaAman]

Always always ALWAYS secure a brooder lamp 3 ways. The clamp is just one way. I use those big bike hangers, the clamp, and I also wire, or stamp the cord... not through the cord obviously, to that it can't fall. Glad no birds were lost. That would have been sad.

 

[fduncan]

Thanks everyone .I never actually dreamed it would come off where it did.The clamp itself was zip tied to a board screwed into the wall and was still right where I'd put it it was the where you can remove the clamp from the light with the wing nut . I never thought about that getting unscrewed and it falling I made sure it was tight before I put it in( though between cats and kids in the garage I should have known better ) It will be hooked to the rafters with a chain as soon as the garage airs out enough to put them back out there . They seem to be doing fine a little upset that their shoved in some of my rabbit carriers but all seem healthy and acting fine which I feel lucky about . They were so quiet I was sure they were all gone when I took the top off that tank .