Confused about heating sources for brooder

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

I went crazy when we got our chicks and bought a couple of different heat options. I was worried we wouldn't keep them warm enough with the eco brooder plate. I've heard great things but I personally found it easier to gauge temperature with the heating lamp. I work from home and they're never alone to worry about fire risk. I have it ultra-secured to a tripod with zip ties and a clamp. The bin is big enough they have different spots they can go to get out of the heat, and measure the temperature so at least one spot is around the recommended temp for their age. I keep an eye on their behavior. If they spread out away from the heat, it's too hot, if they huddle together under/make a lot of noise it's too cold. With the tripod I just extend the legs as they age.

 

[roheryn]

I use both 250W heat lamp and a brooder plate. We use our XL hard side dog kennel bottom and clip the lamp on one side so the bottom is 95, then put the plate in the middle back edge (tilted so they can choose to be closer to the plate or have it a little above them) and the other end of the kennel is room temp. They are in the house so its usually around 68-70 ambient. During the day they mostly stay under the plate or under the light, not much on the ambient side. I plan to keep the lamp for only 1 week, then they get a normal day/night light schedule once they have a few feathers. Found them all sleeping in a pile under the lamp in the middle of the night, so they like the higher heat, at least right now (3 days old, shipped overnight). I agree, its not great for them to have 24/7 light, but I've raised chicks for years that way and I don't think it really hurts. Last year I got the plate and I think it felt more natural for everyone. So, for us, its a combo!

 

[miokiollie]

My five chicks love the thermo chicken heating pad.

 

[khind]

All my chicks are broody-hen raised. The chicks often scurry in and out from underneath mama hen, going back under her feathers if they need to warm up. The chicks always sleep underneath her at night to stay warm. The mama heating pad simulates an actual mama hen. The chicks dont need to be at a constant temperature all the time. Both a real mama hen and the mama heating pad allow chicks to quickly warm up if they feel too cold.

I'm making a MHP right now, but I don't know how high or low to arch the fencing that I cut. The chicks are about 2-4 days old. (I got them on Sat., & they appeared to be over a day old then, from TSC.) Do you have any suggestions? Should I place a thermometer underneath and check that way, or measure a certain amount of headspace for them as they're walking in or lying down?

 

[Ponypoor]

My room is 68 degrees (in my house). I was planning to brood them in a space that is 12sf for two weeks indoors, and then move them to a larger area within the coop itself outdoors (temps 40-50 degrees outside) for the next 4-6 weeks after that to get them used to the coop, so I think I will need multiple heat source options for both scenarios. But I can't imagine 15 chicks using a 12" heating plate for more than a week.

I am also having a confusing issue with the heat lamp anyway--see above--its been on for a whole day about 2' above a plastic tote and hasn't even reached 85 degrees surface temp. Doesn't really feel hot at all except within 1' of the lamp, but putting it 1' away is way too close to the chicks and the brooder. Does anyone know what would cause this?
I've been told it would be so hot it would melt the plastic and it wouldn't work, I could just use a regular bulb, but that's not happening at all, it's as though the 250W bulb isn't directing it's heat into the brooder but just dissipating into the air.

Just wondering how it went with your chicks and heat sources.

 

[appleacres]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I did get a bit confused in terms of the size of the brooder I guess--I read a book that suggested the size I have, but looking again, it did not specify the amount of chicks, so maybe 15 is alot. Maybe I can split them into two groups of 7, or cut a side out of the totes and combine them into one?

A note, however, I plugged in the 250 red bulb about 2' above the plastic tote, and even after a full day of sitting there, the temperature on the surface floor of the plastic tote is only 80 (temperature in room is 68). I read things about people saying to not use plastic with the high watt bulb and that a regular bulb is fine, but my experience so far is that the 250 watt bulb is VERY hot about 6" away, and then gets less and less hot--about a change of 20 degrees over 2' from the surface of the bulb to the bottom of the brooder. Am I doing something wrong?

I will probably end up getting the Ecoglow--but even that is a bit confusing. Everyone is saying that the box I have is too small, but the ecoglow 600 which is for 'up to 20 chicks' is only 12"x8"? I understand that the chicks huddle, and then need lots of room to run around, but if they aren't going to fit comfortably in the box after a week, how will they use a brooder plate that is less than 1 square foot wide after 1 week?

 

[appleacres]

My room is 68 degrees (in my house). I was planning to brood them in a space that is 12sf for two weeks indoors, and then move them to a larger area within the coop itself outdoors (temps 40-50 degrees outside) for the next 4-6 weeks after that to get them used to the coop, so I think I will need multiple heat source options for both scenarios. But I can't imagine 15 chicks using a 12" heating plate for more than a week.

I am also having a confusing issue with the heat lamp anyway--see above--its been on for a whole day about 2' above a plastic tote and hasn't even reached 85 degrees surface temp. Doesn't really feel hot at all except within 1' of the lamp, but putting it 1' away is way too close to the chicks and the brooder. Does anyone know what would cause this?
I've been told it would be so hot it would melt the plastic and it wouldn't work, I could just use a regular bulb, but that's not happening at all, it's as though the 250W bulb isn't directing it's heat into the brooder but just dissipating into the air.

 

[saysfaa]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I did get a bit confused in terms of the size of the brooder I guess--I read a book that suggested the size I have, but looking again, it did not specify the amount of chicks, so maybe 15 is alot. Maybe I can split them into two groups of 7, or cut a side out of the totes and combine them into one?

A note, however, I plugged in the 250 red bulb about 2' above the plastic tote, and even after a full day of sitting there, the temperature on the surface floor of the plastic tote is only 80 (temperature in room is 68). I read things about people saying to not use plastic with the high watt bulb and that a regular bulb is fine, but my experience so far is that the 250 watt bulb is VERY hot about 6" away, and then gets less and less hot--about a change of 20 degrees over 2' from the surface of the bulb to the bottom of the brooder. Am I doing something wrong?

I will probably end up getting the Ecoglow--but even that is a bit confusing. Everyone is saying that the box I have is too small, but the ecoglow 600 which is for 'up to 20 chicks' is only 12"x8"? I understand that the chicks huddle, and then need lots of room to run around, but if they aren't going to fit comfortably in the box after a week, how will they use a brooder plate that is less than 1 square foot wide after 1 week?

I think not all red bulbs are heat bulbs. I see some that say they don't need ceramic sockets and give off "gentle" heat. What does the box say?

 

[sodoneshopping]

If you will have chicks regularly, spend the money on something along the line of the Brinsea EcoGlow. Chicks love it and you do not have to worry about over heating or any other issue from using a heat lamp.
If you do not plan to have chicks regularly then use the heat lamp. I have used both. I prefer the EcoGlow type brooder. They are spendy, but I love it so much I have multiple (not all Brinsea).

Do you have a preference to the brooder types? brinsea vs thermobrooder? or other?

 

[aart]

I used the Thermo Chicken heat pad for my broiler chicks - 21 chicks in the brooder out in the barn. I put a "cave" over the pad for the first 2 weeks, but once they started feathering out, they didn't need the cover anymore. The cave was simply a bathroom towel set on a wire rack.

I got them on April 6th and the temps were still dropping to at or below freezing at night - the days were only in the 40s for highs. They were happy, energetic chicks - zipping around from food to water to cave. They would stand at the "window" and look out at the big world of barn stall between other tasks. Dash into the cave to warm up and them back out to run around again.

@wyoDreamer this one?
How big is it?
Would you post pics of how you set it up?