Coop fire

[la dee da]

So sorry about what happened! I hope your new chickens will help ease the pain.

For those concerned about heat lamps in the house; I also was concerned about using a heat lamp. Instead I just used a 100w regular incandecent light bulb. There are also brooder lights that are 120 watts, though reading its instructions scared me away from using it. Still 120 watts is not as dangerous or as high as 250.

 

[kiwiegg]

This is a great thread about a very important issue - safety for ourselves and our animals. I'm really not keen to use a 250 bulb in our house. I'm going to do some temp testing with incandscent bulbs as mentioned above before chix get here. I will be more inclined to use a more powerful bulb in the coop over the winter when needed.

 

[teach1rusl]

The problem with regular bulbs is white light 24/7 never gives them a break from "daylight." I think you can find black incandescent though, can't you?? At this time of year, if brooding indoors, a 250 should certainly not be needed. They sell heat lamp bulbs as low as 50W. One key is securely fastening the lamp to something - never rely on the clamp.
I have a wood burning stove in my house (two actually). I'm sure they could be fire hazards if used incorrectly. I'm not going to stop using them because someone down the road didn't use theirs safely and burned their house down - I'm just going to use mine safely.

 

[kiwiegg]

Good points. i'm going to do some temp testing this weekend and find the lowest wattage bulb that can create 95 deg. I made a brooder from scrap wood from my build and I think I will also try to make a strong cross beam to securely attach the light to.

 

[3forfree]

I used an incandescent bulb in my brooder and it was only 60W and the chicks seemed comfortable. The brooder is in the basement made from an aquarium and I kept a cover over the top.

 

[teach1rusl]

Remember guys, the WHOLE brooder doesn't need to be kept at a set temperature. Only the spot beneath the lamp needs to be in the "X" amount of degrees range. It's to simulate getting warm under mama hen, and then leaving her warmth to run around. When they're feeling chilled, they run back under mama (or the lamp). For that reason, aquariums and other sealed type containers worry me a little bit...do the chicks have places to go to get out of the heat to begin adapting to cooler temps???? You don't want the entire brooder being 90 degrees (or whatever).

 

[Tigertrea]

Sorry for your loss!

I have used heat lamps for about 25yrs for my puppies. never, ever had a fire. I can't think of any of my doggie friends who have had issues either. We, for the most part, use wood to build and shavings in our pens. I am still trying to figure out the huge difference in set-up that causes so many coop fires. Is it that the chicks can fly and therefore move the lamp? I do know how hot they can get and that fire is a possibility.

I am not "blaming" anyone who has a fire. I am genuinely curious as to how it can happen. I would think that knowing the possibilities one would do their best to ensure it cannot happen. I know with my puppy pen I use a chain to hang the lamp on a clip that the chain cannot be knocked off of. I also place it so that if it swings it cannot touch the wood. I also make sure to use the guard that you can get for them. With the outside whelping pen we used to have we had a hole in the top that the lamp chain/cord went thought. It was just wide enough to fit the plug though. This prevented the lamp from swinging too much. With our indoor whelping box we just hung it from the top of the box. But, inside we needed it less and we were able to keep a closer eye lol.

 

[chicken pickin]

This is a very scary issue that Im sure most of us think about whether it be in the brooder inside our house or in the coop until its warm enough out. Ive thought about this alot and im terrified to not only have our new coop with all our hard work be burned to ashes but like those posted above about the living creatures trapped inside left to suffer. So sad. While reading this I actually stopped and went out to my coop and unplugged the heat lamp. Its pretty secure but I guess you never know huh. My chicks are just about 7 weeks so now Im gonna toy with the idea of leaving the lamp off unless we have some really cold temps.

Thanks for starting this thread.

 

[Bayhunter]

New coop is complete except shingles and paint. 14 chickens love it. No more heat lamps or electricity near the coop. Took me 5 days to rebuild but was determined to restore. It was well worth the work. I will post pictures on my profile, having a little difficulty doing it on my iPhone.