Heat lamp dangers?

[cmlew99]

Hi everyone! I'm new to BYC, and was thinking of raising about three or four chicks for my backyard. I had a friend who tried to raise chicks with a heat lamp, but it caught fire, killing the little chicks and burning down half of their house. Naturally, I really don't want this to happen. So I did some research, and came across EcoGlow, "a safe alternative to heat lamps". Supposedly it mimics the warmth of a mother hen. This is the link to the product page. Has anyone heard of/tried this product, and if so, is it any good? Will my chicks be in danger if I use it? Or is there a way to definitely make sure the heat lamp won't burst into flames or fall, or both?

Thanks very much!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I haven't used the EcoGlow but did read on BYC where the room temp has to be maybe in the 50s...so not for the 20 degree garage so to speak.

Here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=eco+glow+review


Some things to read while you are waiting for more responses!

 

[triplepurpose]

For 20+ years we've always just used a spare desk lamp or something similar with a regular old florescent light bulb, in a cardboard box. A towel or blanket partially draped over the box (less or more depending how cold it is) helps regulate warmth and drafts as well. We gradually raise the light up higher, and eventually take off the blanket, as the chicks grow and require less and less warmth.

Numerically, temp should generally be in the high nineties for the first few days, and gradual decrease to room temps by the time they're getting their feathers in. But in practice, you know if they are too cold because they all constantly jockey for position under the lamp and shiver and cry a lot. And you know it's too hot if they all spread out or move to the cooler corners of the box to get away from the heat, and maybe even show signs of heat stress. If it's about the right temp, there will generally be a happy mixture of cuddling and roaming about exploring, playing, and eating and drinking.

It needn't be really high tech. I'm not familiar with the Ecoglow, but most heat lamps I've seen are designed to be used to keep hundreds of chicks warm in large commercial brooders and such and are totally overkill for someone raising just a handful of chicks in their home.

My two cents.

Good luck, and welcome to the world of chicken raising!