heat lamp fire?

[Abriana]

I have a heat lamp hung about 18 inches from the ground in my coop, I use a clamp to keep it securely in place. I just got some new babies so I needed to get it out again, but my older pullets and ducks finished with it this month, and they used it since August. I’ve had no issues. I always tug on it to make sure the clamp keeps it securely in place, and I always clear the shavings out from under it as a precaution. My pullets and ducks are pretty rowdy, but not usually at night so I feel like it’s okay.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

Ohh, well I think them being inside is fine, I don't have any problem with that, but why do you need a heat lamp though? You should probably just get rid of it then, because if it is warm enough inside for you, its warm enough for the ducks.

this is for during the day when they are in a room that isn’t connected to our house, so is cold

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have a heat lamp hung about 18 inches from the ground in my coop, I use a clamp to keep it securely in place. I just got some new babies so I needed to get it out again, but my older pullets and ducks finished with it this month, and they used it since August. I’ve had no issues. I always tug on it to make sure the clamp keeps it securely in place, and I always clear the shavings out from under it as a precaution. My pullets and ducks are pretty rowdy, but not usually at night so I feel like it’s okay.

If that is the clamp it came with do NOT trust it. Add a chain to secure it.

For real those clamps are NOT trustworthy.

 

[Abriana]

If that is the clamp it came with do NOT trust it. Add a chain to secure it.

For real those clamps are NOT trustworthy.

It’s a different one, from a tools company, I forget which one though. I’ve used it for over three months and never had cause to be worried. I yank on it pretty hard and it’s not going to fall, unless something VERY strong pulls on it, which my hens and pullets and ducks are incapable of doing.

 

[NatJ]

It’s a different one, from a tools company, I forget which one though. I’ve used it for over three months and never had cause to be worried. I yank on it pretty hard and it’s not going to fall, unless something VERY strong pulls on it, which my hens and pullets and ducks are incapable of doing.

Do you have a picture of the clamp and setup you are talking about?

 

[Abriana]

Do you have a picture of the clamp and setup you are talking about?

I’m going to run back out there in about 10 minutes to do one last night check, so I’ll get a picture then

 

[Abriana]

Do you have a picture of the clamp and setup you are talking about?

Clamp and setup:

And for anyone who saw my thread on the little black chick, Deloise, this is her and her sisters Chaska and Sidra. They just moved out to the coop today

 

[Trisseh]

... there’s just so much to unpack in this thread... you’re not really doing the ducks any favours by having that swing in temps for them. Much more stressful to go from toasty warm to cool, even with a heat lamp, than to be cool to cold. Ducks are WAY more cold hardy than chickens, too, but even so that’s a lot of stress on their bodies each and every day. Most livestock prefer temperatures much lower than a person does, because they have built in defences against the cold.

my suggestion, since you’re bringing them inside at night, would be to gradually reduce and then remove your heat source outside, and acclimate them to an area of the house that is just moderately warmer than outside. That’s actually what I do for my dog, who wants to be outside all day but much prefers to come in at night. She stays in the unheated porch overnight, which hovers right around the freezing mark in the dead of winter, and happily spends all day out as long as it’s not horrifically cold. There’s nothing wrong with a little extra warmth on those days that drop way way below what’s been normal, but those are few and far between.

As day time temps are usually quite a bit higher than night time lows, why not use the sunlight to your advantage too? Clear plastic, old windows, plenty of ways to create little warmer areas during the day that will be a moderate increase and not stress them unduly.

if you’re adamant about keeping heat on for adult birds (which, in my opinion, is superfluous) it would be much safer for them and you to use a radiant form of heat, like the panels or even a plain ol heating pad. That way they can approach it to warm themselves if they’re cold, but aren’t subjected to heat they don’t need or want. Safer, more economical, and you may be surprised by how little they actually use it.

The only situation that I would ensure there was additional heat for adult birds is if they have some sort of impediment that would make them less hardy. Sick birds, old birds, that kind of thing. there’s a lady I know here that had a very old, arthritic Muscovy. He had a little wooden house with a regular light bulb in (like a lot of people use in dog houses) on a thermostat. If it got below a certain temp that he struggled with, the bulb would come on and warm him up.

just my opinion, but if people can keep chickens in Alaska without additional heat... Haha.

 

[CHlCKEN]

You and I can certainly disagree......apparently on a lot of things.

It IS winter here. We just had record lows falling below zero. Today was 49° outside. I did turn my furnace off AND opened windows. I did not do it because I wanted to be in the same temps as my birds. I did it because it does not bother me.....likely because I spend a great deal of time outside.

Birds are designed to grow extra feathers to handle the weather....and have an oil gland so they can waterproof themselves. Not being allowed to slowly acclimate to the cold (due to added heat) when power fails or the heat source fails THEN they struggle.

I provide a dry draft free safe space for them. I am not willing to risk a fire.

The chickadee, sparrow, and other birds do not die because no one gives them added heat. Our pioneering forefathers did not add heat and somehow chickens and ducks survived.

I understand the OP brings their birds in at night so they are not acclimated.

My point is that these birds are still young and temperatures in the single digits are dangerous. I don’t care if you turned off your furnace or if birds can handle the cold (of course they can) but if these ducklings are still young, which I’m still not clear on age (I’m assuming 4-8 weeks?) then denying them a heat source in the middle of winter, while they still have not out-grown their brooder, is unfair. If they needed it at a time in their life that means they can get cold, and is what warms them up. Ducklings cannot be given added heat forever or else they will not learn how to adjust, but DENYING ducklings who haven’t outgrown the heat source is unfair. I don’t like to use heat lamps either but sometimes it’s the only way. Ducklings DIE because people say they don’t need a heat source, but in truth, they’re still young and shocking temperatures are hard on them when they don’t have the support of a heat source

 

[NatJ]

I’m still not clear on age (I’m assuming 4-8 weeks?) then denying them a heat source in the middle of winter, while they still have not out-grown their brooder, is unfair.

This thread doesn't state age, but I looked at other threads by the same poster, and their ducks all seem to be adults. I agree with your points about heat for ducklings, but these are well past that stage.

Quote from same poster, another thread, less than a month ago:

my one girl just turned 18 weeks! my other girl had been laying for awhile

Quote from same poster, another thread, last week:

this is my second winter with ducks, but they are my babies so just want to make sure i know everything possible to to keep them happy and healthy

1) they are indoors at night so will stay pretty warm, for their daytime playtime how long can they be in the snow?