Heat blanket instead of lightbulb?

[Pent]

My Ameraucanas are in lockdown, and I'm working out what to do for a brooder. I'm torn between breaking out my reptile light, which is very, very strong, or using a heat blanket I had for some baby geckos once. I'm concerned that all the heat would just escape out the top, unless I draped something over the brooder, or put the blanket on top, perhaps... I'm also not sure if I should just use a cardbord box, pull out an aquarium, or get more creative. I've got 8 eggs incubating, so I'll have at most that many chicks. All of them got big enough to fill most of the egg, and leave a small veined area, with a visibly movement, and after that point I lost my flashlight. So I should plan to brood 8.

In addition I seem unable to bring my humidity above 70%, even with multiple vents taped over and additional water added in a dish. I'm using a still air hovabator.

 

[brandoncakes]

I really hope all 8 hatch! As for the brooder, I don't see why a heat blanket wouldn't work. I would keep some floor surface uncovered, in case the chickies think it's too hot. Right now I have my 5 day old chicks in an old rabbit cage, fixed with a 45 watt floodlight in my room. They seem to be fine, running around like crazy in the cage. Today I raised the fixture a bit because I noticed a few chicks panting when they got up from under it. Lights are my way to go, but if I had a ceramic bulb with no light, I would get that. This light keeps me up

 

[Pent]

Thanks, wound up combining the heat blanket draped over the cage with a low wattage bulb, since its all I had on hand. 7/8 hatched so far, and one more piped.

 

[brandoncakes]

Yay they are so cute! So happy for you, congratulations! Enjoy them while they're young...they grow up so fast!