Alternatives for heat lamps??!

[Quackattack717]

Hi there,

In just a few short weeks, October 7th our new ducklings will ship and be here on the 9th. While I am super excited, I am also nervous for new ducklings with the seasons changing. With our other ducklings & chicks, it was summer. Pretty warm, we only used the heat lamp at night time, never left on during the day when we were not home. But it’s officially fall, and very chilly in the AM some days, so I’m thinking the ducklings will need heat all day. I want to use something safer, something that I don’t need to have a fear of fire.

The ducklings brooder is in our second building. There is no heat. If I need to, I will put a space heater in there, but I don’t think that will be necessary until winter rolls along and by then they’ll be getting feathers and what not.

So what other heating options do I have besides the heat lamp? Please let me know as the day they arrive will be here before I know it!

Thank you!

 

[ChickNanny13]

MHP = heating pad
Search the forum for Blooie's thread on MHP, informative and a must try. I did and won't go back to heat lighting. Use for chicks, find they are less skittish & calmer, quieter too when it's night.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I've been using a heat plate and ended up purchasing 3 extra (got a good deal) heat plates, so I have a backup in case of malfunction or breakage. I really like the MHP (referred to above) idea and plan on trying it too! With these wonderful options, I don't see myself using a heat lamp again. I'm excited for you. Please share some pictures when you get them. Best wishes!

 

[BullChick]

Keeping in mind we live fairly close, I can assure you that the ducks won’t need much heat. After as little as a week, they might be fine even overnight. Just listen for their crying to be sure.

 

[ChloeChicken]

We’ve used the Premier Chick Brooder heat plate for both sets of chicks we’ve had and I highly recommend it! Honestly, I’ve never been comfortable with the thought of using the lamps, especially unattended.

 

[sealer39]

I bought a heat plate for my last two batches of chicks this year. I just got tired of having to adjust the lamp every week. The heat plate worked very well and the chicks were quiet at night. I adjusted the plate so it was at an angle and let the chicks decide how much heat they wanted.

 

[Jpat]

i never had luck in the first week with a plate, i found the lamp cast a wider area, with the heat centered in the middle and cooler around the outside

it seamed they could find the heat source easier that way, i had a couple duckling who seamed to get lost and couldnt find the heat, and i lost a few quails that way too

i use a heat lamp with an inline dimmer switch so i can turn it up or down without moving the lamp

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

For my Spring Ducklings this year i used a Momma Heat Cave and they loved it!
And i loved that they developed a perfect day/night rhythm, sleeping peacefully over night and having a big party all day long…

 

[EggWalrus]

You could make them a Wool Hen!
No electricity so it's safe and it will keep chicks or ducklings plenty warm.
Just get a wool shirt or blanket, cut it up into strips. Take some hardware cloth and make a mini "hoop coop" about a foot tall and two feet deep for ducklings. Loop the strips of wool thru the hardware cloth. Close off the back and leave the front open. Cover the whole thing in a piece of wool cloth. If they begin to get a little warm, they will migrate to the front door. If they are cold, they'll go further in.
I've used these to brood week old chicks in 40° temps at night with no problems. And no electricity.

 

[Quackattack717]

Keeping in mind we live fairly close, I can assure you that the ducks won’t need much heat. After as little as a week, they might be fine even overnight. Just listen for their crying to be sure.

You really think with it getting down in the 40’s some nights, they would be okay? We still have a heat lamp on our almost 6 week ducklings (who moved out to the coop) yes, I know major fire hazard, it was my husbands idea but we wanted to keep heat on them until at least 7 weeks if they’re fully feathered!