Heat Lamp started fire! Warning!! Learn from my mistake!

[PandoraTaylor]

I am so sorry for your loss.
I lost everything I owed a few years ago to a wildfire....

wish there was something more to say, but alas nothing I say will help.....

from Alaska

 

[lngrid]

Gosh, I'm so sorry for your loss, Stacy. I am a chicken newbie. Thank you for teaching this to people like me instead of just getting embarrassed and hiding it. And thank God your house is safe. What a rotten time of year for this to happen. I hope your Christmas wasn't a complete wash.

 

[silkiechicken]

Sorry for your loss and glad it didn't burn down your house. You aren't the first and hopefully others can learn from this accident you are willing to share. It happens happens every year to someone, be it winter heat or baby chicks in the house.

A good thing to do with all heat lamps is first make sure they are heat lamps and not just shop lights. A ceramic base is best, check for max wattage, then secure the light so well that there is no way for it to touch bedding even if you ran into it. If running one for extended periods of time, dust it off every once in a while, and don't put it too close to the water to avoid splashing a hot bulb with cold water. If at all possible, which is in most places in the US, insulate the coop and avoid heating it in the first place. Any time a portable heating solution is used, there is a risk of fire which many don't see.

Hope you can rebuild and join in on chickens again soon.

 

[justmeandtheflock]

I am so sorry. Thank you for sharing your story as a warning to all of us.

 

[rancher hicks]

I am so sorry for your loss. I'm def going to check mine though I have secured them with a nail. Now if your going to get back in the saddle, I can't replace the coop but I have made arrangement for Speckled hen to send me some Delaware eggs. If you have an incu and I'm sure we can work it out they are yours If you want. They're all paid for and I wasn't expecting to get them til Feb. or Mar. so it's not like they've been shipped. I'll order more for myself later. I'll pm her and let her know of my offer. Wishing you the best .
Love ya Rancher

 

[speckledhen]

What a generous offer, Tim! Yes, Stacey, if you have or can get an incubator, I'll be glad to ship you eggs when you're ready for them. So sorry for your loss. If you'd rather have Barred Rocks or Easter Eggers than Delawares, I can do that, too, or a mix of the three.

 

[SandyC]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

One thought...have you considered getting chickens that are very cold resistant. I have Spitzhaubens, Buff Orpingtons, Ameracuanas, one little
New Hampshire Red and a Barred Rock. I have never used a heat lamp (we can get down to -20 here) and I have never had any problems
with the hens getting too cold. They do fine. I do have an electric water heater though, which worries me, but I don't want to have to break ice.

Again, so sorry for your loss.

 

[keetsms]

So sorry to this happened. Thanks for the warning.

 

[ZooMummzy]

I am so sorry for your loss

I can't even imagine.

I used heat lamps in the coop a few weeks ago when it was so cold and I not only zip tied them, I used bungee cords and wire. Those things just terrify me and I feel going overboard is better than not. Thank you for sharing this so others can learn.

 

[CodyChristine]

I wish I would have read your post sooner. I am sooo sorry for your loss.

I woke up yesterday morning to the same awful tragedy. One of the lamps must have fell and ignited the bedding. Our flock of 7 is gone and the coop was a total loss. Nothing but ashes. We were fortunate too that it was not near our house and no one was hurt. Luckily, we have so many good, wonderful friends who have volunteered to come over and help us build a new one. We also have a great chicken rescue organization nearby that adopts out chickens so once we have a structure up and running, I plan to contact the rescue organization.

Again, I'm so sorry for your loss.