Chick heater recommendations

[HopeSprings]

This 15 dollar heat pad, a cookie sheet from your kitchen and a couple 3” chunks of 2x4.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006IV4N/?tag=backy-20

That’s all I use and plan to put day old chicks outside in the mid 30s no problem.

Does it really get warm enough?

 

[HopeSprings]

Where will the chicks be raised, inside your house, barn, garage, chicken coop? Where they are may impact how much heat is needed and what your safest option is.

The heat lamp danger primarily comes from electrical cord damage (which can happen with any heater when rodents are present) or a broken bulb (the glass is hot and can ignite the dust/bedding/feathers in a coop). In a chicken coop there are birds that can hop up and down, flap a bit, and potentially bump and shatter a heat lamp. If you have chicks in a brooder with a wire lid between them and the light and there are not other animals in the room (so it's in your house perhaps a room that other pets/people don't go in) there's not too much risk of something happening to it. Also your house is generally climate controlled and they may be able to be off heat sooner than if they are outdoors.

Some designs are better than others, but browse through this for some inspiration.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/incubators-brooders.27/

Also @Blooie has some good info on brooding, outdoors, cold temps, etc.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors.68067/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/brooding-with-mama-heating-pad.67728/

Will start off in my sunroom, but may end up in the basement, if they get too messy! I've got a mellow hound dog who stays inside when I off to work and I worry about him knocking the heat lamp over. Would feel better going off to work knowing I wasn't taking a risk!

 

[BY Bob]

Would feel better going off to work knowing I wasn't taking a risk!

That is exactly why we went with the heater above. I was traveling and my wife had to go to work. We needed them to be able to keep themselves warm without the fear of fire, overheating, etc.

 

[PirateGirl]

Will start off in my sunroom, but may end up in the basement, if they get too messy! I've got a mellow hound dog who stays inside when I off to work and I worry about him knocking the heat lamp over. Would feel better going off to work knowing I wasn't taking a risk!

I agree, even a mellow dog can get a bit excited by chicks, and who knows what goes on in the house when we aren't home! You are going to need quite a bit of space for 17 chicks near the end, and they are going to produce a LOT of dander. Here are some brooder size guidelines to give you an idea.

https://extension.colostate.edu/top...ing-and-space-requirements-for-poultry-2-502/

 

[imnukensc]

This 15 dollar heat pad, a cookie sheet from your kitchen and a couple 3” chunks of 2x4.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006IV4N/?tag=backy-20

That’s all I use and plan to put day old chicks outside in the mid 30s no problem.

That heating pad shuts off after 2 hours. Need one that doesn't have the auto shut off.

 

[PirateGirl]

No auto off on this one...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XKTXZQ3/?tag=backy-20

 

[Doc7]

That heating pad shuts off after 2 hours. Need one that doesn't have the auto shut off.

It certainly does not. The description erroneously says it does. However, as the many comments on the reviews state and as a personal owner and user of one myself, it does not and I would never recommend that does, of course.

 

[Doc7]

That heating pad shuts off after 2 hours. Need one that doesn't have the auto shut off.

 

[Doc7]

Does it really get warm enough?

MHP doesn’t need to be very warm, it works on direct contact.

 

[PirateGirl]

MHP doesn’t need to be very warm, it works on direct contact.

Chicken body temp is 105*F-107* so if it gets that hot I'd say they should be fine!