Cozy Coop Heater & Brooder Temperature

[Kaiser5000]

Hi all!

I am new to this community and new to raising chickens so please be patient with me We got our 11 chicks in the mail 2 days ago and immediately put them into the brooder--- a 10 panel cardboard area bought from My Pet Chicken with pine chips, a feeding station, a watering station and a Cozy Coop Heater Panel. This heater came highly recommended form My Pet Chicken and seemed like the safest option. The brooder is in our upstairs, small refinished loft. The inner temperature of our house is about 70 degrees. The area one foot from the heater panel is 80 degrees but apparently the panel gets well over 100 degrees.

We lost a chick this morning. When checking on them, she was behind the heater panel still alive but obviously not doing well. I think that she may have pasted over (a small amount of dried poo on her backside) and after clearing that and putting her in a separate brooder with a lamp, she passed away. I am unexpectedly heart broken and am afraid that I messed something up with the brooder that caused her to paste over.

The question: Has anyone else used the Cozy Coop Heater? The other chicks seem to be doing well--- they sleep right up against and behind the panel but otherwise are active, eating and drinking. Are there any other things that I am missing? Do sometimes chicks just die? Am I beating myself up over nothing? Do they need another heat source? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated. I just don't want to lose another.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sometimes they do just die. However, I don't think the Cozy Coop Heater is designed to brood chicks. Most of the heat is far above chick level. It is intended for slightly warming a coop in winter.

 

[MGG]

I agree. The MHP or a heat lamp are really the only options for a heat source. The MHP is my favorite, no risk of fires.

 

[ColoradoPip]

The MHP is my favorite, no risk of fires.

You sure about that?

I wouldn't say "no" risks although most of these types of fires seem to be started more by blankets and throws versus pads, but it does apparently happen

IIRC, the cozy coop can be horizontal or vertical, which means you could turn it into an MHCC (mother hen cozy coop)

Heat plates are another option.

 

[Kaiser5000]

Thanks, all! I just looked up the MHP--- So if I stop at Walmart right now, I would get a heating pad, a wire shelf of some sort to turn upside down and a blanket to drape over? Is that correct? I would read through all the posts but I obviously need to do something quick--- The heat lamp really isn't an option as I would not be able to sleep because of risk of fire .

 

[MGG]

You sure about that?

I wouldn't say "no" risks although most of these types of fires seem to be started more by blankets and throws versus pads, but it does apparently happen

IIRC, the cozy coop can be horizontal or vertical, which means you could turn it into an MCCP

Heat plates are another option.

How did that happen? I guess anything could be a fire risk, honestly. But heating pads are way safer than lamps IMO

 

[MGG]

There's a post on here about it, I'll see if i can find it for you. Basically yes

 

[ColoradoPip]

How did that happen? I guess anything could be a fire risk, honestly. But heating pads are way safer than lamps IMO

That's a pic from the internet, not mine!! It's all about the wiring, time, and wear. I don't trust them honestly, but maybe I'm overly paranoid. After all I've used a heat lamp too which is prone to it's own set of issues and fire hazards. People have used MHP, heat lamps, and plates, all without issues.

At least the plates only have the plug as exposed wiring, the rest is inside a hard shell. I like that.

 

[MGG]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/ here is the one I use

 

[MGG]

Well, I don't know. They're supposed to be safe. I had a heat lamp fire in our basement though, it almost killed all of my little ducklings, and it filled the house with smoke. So I'm done with those. My ducklings all lived and the MHP was great. I turned on the auto shut off to wean them off of it at 4 weeks and it was really nice.