BROODER HEAT LAMP SAFETY REMINDER! Show us your SAFE set-up!

[JLS]

I just "fixed" up my brooder lamp. I have a real issue with how flimsy the clamp is!!

So I went to walmart and purchased an automotive clamp light (appx $8). Reason being: the automotive clamp is AWSOME!! Next I detached the clamp from the brooder lamp. Then I replaced it with the clamp from the automotive light. This is so much better!! But I will still chain it as a fail safe. Why dont they just manufacture the brooder lamps with heftier clamps???

 

[marbec06]

Quote:
How did civilized folks get by before zip ties?!

Zip ties are right next to duck tape, baling wire and baling twine in my repair kit!

 

[chickee]

I always use ceramic bulbs made for reptiles. They emit no light, they screw into the brooder lamp like a regular light bulb and they last 5 years.

I start with a 100w ceramic bulb and when the chicks are a couple of weeks old I change to a 60w ceramic bulb. I also like that the ceramic bulb can be closer to the chicks and they won't get burned! plus they are cooler and it would be pretty hard to start a fire with one. I don't have a picture of one set up, but here is a picture of the bulbs so those of you that want to purchase one know what to look for.

 

[Marlaina]

I had a brooder lamp fire this year.

The clamp on mine actually got hot and burned through the zip tie that I was using to hold it up. It feel into the brooder and burned all the chicks and a hole straight through the brooder and through the wood floor of the building. It is amazing the whole thing didn't go up in flames.

It mortified me. I was lucky that my dog saw it out the back door and started barking in the middle of the night. I shudder to think what could have happened. Of course, I cried over the whole thing too. I have done it literally the exact same way in the past and NEVER had an issue.

When the first set of replacement chicks arrived home, I so scared of using a brooder lamp that I had my DH devise all sorts of safety back-ups but I am still sooooo scared of them. I think that I'll definitely be buying some of those reptile lamps ASAP.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

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I think those are a WONDERFUL idea! Can you tell me if you can gauge the temperature in the brooder using one of those? Will the temps register on a regular thermometer?
Thanks for posting that picture!

 

[Willow's Meadow]

we're just going to frill a hook into the ceiling. Then buy a metal chain and hang it on the hook in the ceiling then use a clip to hook from the chain to the heat lamp. And whe nwe need to raise it we just raise it a few chain links or so. Simple!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

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Wow, scary stuff. So sorry to hear about that experience, it must've been awful for you. Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Willow's Meadow :

we're just going to frill a hook into the ceiling. Then buy a metal chain and hang it on the hook in the ceiling then use a clip to hook from the chain to the heat lamp. And whe nwe need to raise it we just raise it a few chain links or so. Simple!

Sounds good, but you might consider a back-up system in case the first fails for any number of unexpected reasons. I never used a backup until I heard some horror stories and now I see no reason not to be ultra careful. Just something to think about.​

 

[chickee]

Hi

ADozenGirlz, yes you can gauge the temps the same as the heat lamp bulbs. I just set a digital indoor-outdoor thermometer on the floor of the brooder under the lamp and set the height of the lamp about 14 inches above the floor, for a temperature of 95 degrees before I put my chicks in. The bulb works great and after it is set to the right height, I don't even worry about checking the temps again! When the chicks start moving further away from the lamp to sleep, I change from the 100w bulb to a 60w. I have six week old BLRW chicks out in the chick house still using the 60w lamp to keep them warm since our temps have been in the 30's to 40's at night. The cermamic bulbs are a bit pricey, but they do last 5 years! I know you and your chicks will like them

 

[Brickwood]

Scary stuff! In the last two months I have read about two houses completely burned down in our area down because of brooder heat lamp failures. Don't know what their set up was, but I'm glad we've turned the lamp off even though I trusted DH's set up. We'll leave chicks in the house for another week or so at room temp, but no fire worries any longer. If possible, I'd definitely want to do all this in a separate building in the future.