Heat lamp vs. Heat pad

[MTP55]

Our fifth batch of chicks is arriving in a day. We have them set up in our garage at the house we are moving into in a couple weeks. The heat lamp is concerning me as the garage isnt insured right now(because of one curled shingle). Do the brooder heat mats carry the same fire risk as a heat lamp? I would rather just use one of those and a regular 60 watt bulb if I could.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I love my heat plates 100 times more than the heat lamp! I actually ended up giving away my heat lamp and I bought a second heat plate. I have used the inexpensive Titan brand one from Amazon for several batches of chicks and they work great without all of the fire risk! Plus the chicks can sleep through the night like nature intended.

 

[Tortoise]

I don't have much experience with chickens. My first chicks I got in May.
However I have lots of experience with the heat mats as I used one for my chicks and I use them for my tortoises in winter. I have had tortoise since 2011.
The heat pads are perfectly safe. I would be very careful using and heat bulbs.
I made the heat pad extended so the chicks could warm up under it.

 

[ValerieJ]

I used to use the heat lamp and worried about it all the time. Now I have the Sweeter Heater and love it. However, I'm going to make a heat cave using an animal heating pad and fencing material for their coop when they move out for the winter. I would go that route in the brooder next time too. It's cozy to be under and they can stand on top of it to get their feet warm.

 

[MTP55]

Can the heat pad be put on the floor with the wood shavings or does it need to be hung to the side of the brooder?

 

[SmallCityChicken]

I was using a heat lamp until yesterday & constantly worried about the risk. I made a heat cave & so far my chicks seem to love it (they were leery at first I must admit). Besides the risk of fire, I felt bad having them constantly in a lighted area, I wouldn't want to sleep with a giant red light beaming directly on me.
Here is an article you might find useful Kick The Heat Lamp

 

[Rshumpal]

I bought a brooder. They love it. As soon as they got here I turned it on and they ran under it. Now they are constantly in and out.
They are barely 2 days old (finished hatching 9:30 9/30

 

[21hens-incharge]

Can the heat pad be put on the floor with the wood shavings or does it need to be hung to the side of the brooder?

Are you looking for this?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

Think of them as a "cave". They heat from above the chicks like a mother hen would.

 

[mymilliefleur]

I have been using the Mama heating Pad method (https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/brooding-with-mama-heating-pad.67728/) for 5 years now, and highly recommend it. I have heard way too many fire horror stories to use a heat lamp again. I use the cheap Sunbeam heat pads from Amazon. The heat-plates are a little more convenient, but cost more.

 

[ValerieJ]

Can the heat pad be put on the floor with the wood shavings or does it need to be hung to the side of the brooder?

For the chicks you need to make a cave they can actually go into. I want to adapt this idea for larger chicks because I want to put my chicks out into a coop in the run when they are a couple months old, but it is already getting very cold here at night. I will make a taller tunnel, and I figure they will also actually stand on top of it. I think putting it on the wall of the coop would work a little like a heating plate. But for tiny chicks, you need the cave.

Are you looking for this?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

Think of them as a "cave". They heat from above the chicks like a mother hen would.

This is the one I want to make and I want to figure out how to make it a lot taller.