Fire Hazard? Yay, or Nay

[bcostley]

Don't trust the clamps on a heat lamp. Our coop has a (repaired) hole in the floor from a fallen heat lamp. Fortunately it just smoldered through a small area.

 

[Blooie]

I tend to agree with the others that the tote you're using won't work for long. Chicks grow way faster than we think they will!

I dislike using heat lamps totally. I don't think the chicks can get out of the heat if they get too warm, the chicks are up all night because of the light, and I'm scared to death of fire. They not only heat the brooder, they also heat the walls, the water, the food, the bedding - everything around them. So this is what I do. Lots of other people are doing this too, and it works so well!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

You might take a look at this thread about raising chicks naturally with a heating pad.

Edited to add this video of my chicks at a few days old using Mama Heating Pad. The video starts out dark.

 

[bcostley]

I recommend trying to aim the lamp more toward one end of the bin so there is a warm end and cooler end. That way the chicks can better self regulate.

 

[ChickenWolf126]

Thank you for all of this useful information! And I am aware that I will probably need to move the chicks to a bigger brooder; I have already gotten a larger one because of this reason. And to answer some previous question, I am getting three chicks, and the heat lamp is about 2-4 inches away from the actual brooder.

 

[Diannastarr]

im always Leary of any kind of plastic with heat on or near it ,many are so ignorant about heating plastic & the dangers of doing that, so thats never a good idea using plastic with a heating device ,can cause dangerous fumes the chicks would be breathing...? and true heat could make plastic hot enough to melt, so if it were me , i would look for a post on a great idea here at BYC from a member WHO POSTED ABOUT A WARDROBE BOX just a few days ago , i dont remember who sorry, but he posted that he found a good size wardrobe box at a store, cost was like $14.00 & that becomes a great size Brooder box , so please dont use plastic & heat around your chicks if you can at all help it....? take care so glad you are interested in chickens they are indeed fun pets with a bonus....lol..

have a good one Dianna

 

[Amber5]

You want to have the best for your chicks make sure its not too hot!

 

[tash]

You want to have the best for your chicks make sure its not too hot!

ITA

A bigger brooder would also make it easier to have a warm up side and a cool side. This lets the chicks self regulate and go where they need to be to get warmer or cooler. Remember if they were with a broody they would only go to her to warm up for a bit and then run off again no matter what the weather. Being too warm all the time can cause problems.


FWIW I use a metal dog crate. You can sometimes get them for free or cheap at yard sales, thrift stores, friends, etc. I weave thin cardboard through the bars to keep the chicks from escaping (but last batch I had an escapee and had to reinforce things here and there.) Here it is before putting bedding and food/water in:



The heat lamp is clamped AND tied to the metal shelf, plus the guard and the metal dog crate keep it from going down even if the clamp fails. The chicks have a cooler side near the door (where I put the food and water).

Biggest two negatives with this setup is that the litter gets kicked out and I constantly have to sweep, and the light is on all the time. I solved the light on thing by switching from the lamp to the MHP setup and they freak out a little at lights out at night but seem ok with it. They don't sleep under the pad though, only on top or behind.

 

[ChickenWolf126]

I am very sorry I haven't replied to any of theese replies, or even been on BYC for a long time. About a week before my chicks came I guess that I got bored about BYC. I know this sounds crazy but it is true. Now it is time for an update.
I ended up geting a new brooder a little before my chicks came. It is the type of cage you would use for something like a guinea pig, rat, ext. ext. The reason I did this was to give my chicks more room.
I got my chicks from Meyer Hatchery, and all three arrived safe and sound. They have currently been outside for about 2-3 weeks, and are currwntly about 8 weeks old.
During the time my chicks where inside, I got a hen, and a rooster. There names where Diablo (golden laced polish), and Ruby (Rhode Island Red). However a couple of days after my chicks where outside, my mom let my dogs out why the older chickens were free ranging, and my dogs saddly got both of them. However, things have been going great with my chicks, and they are named as follow: Ruth (Easter Egger), Elizibeth (New Hampshire Red), and Goldie (Golden Buff)

If you have managed to read though all of this, then I would like to both thank and congradulate you. I know that there are most likely many grammical and spelling errors, but to that I say meh.:cd