Heat lamp vs Heating Pad

[NatJ]

Is there some reason there are no reply links at the bottom of several of the postings re heat lamps vs heating pads received in the last several hours?

I see a "reply" link at the bottom of every post (I checked all the ones from today and yesterday, but did not look any further back than that.) I'm viewing it on a desktop computer--I think the site sometimes displays differently on different kinds of devices.

Sometimes reloading a page fixes weird things, and sometimes weird things just go away in a few hours, but I don't have any other ideas for why it might be that way.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The responses I've gotten re no heat source needed has me greatly puzzled, however I bow to your expertise.

I'm still on page one.. but agree with others that grown birds do not need added heat.

Their heat source is internal and they are insulated by wonderful down which they tuck their beaks and combs into during the night.. the feathers also cover their feet when they hunker down on roost.. they're cozied up inside warm down jackets and mummy bags relatively.. Keeping them dry and not having excess moisture build up inside the coop and settle on them creating frostbite.. is key.. keep it dry.. not warm.. they are equipped to handle it.. making it warm makes it more challenging to adjust when going outside plus what happen when there's power outages and the birds are suddenly without what they've depended on.. they are creatures of habit and will do as they've been accustomed to so they may be at a serious disadvantage if they've never learned the value of huddling.. they don't think their way out of situations well.

If I were going to use either.. it would be a sweeter heater type, wall panel, or something actually made for animals.. there are heater pads with hard wire protecting the cord from chewing etc.. also water proof while plugged in. That being said.. heat lamps have been used plenty safely by farmers for decades.. there is some risk to everything in life. As much as I also poopoo and dislike heat lamps.. I do recognize their usefulness..

For chicks.. a standard heat plate is by far superior to both a heat pad and a heat lamp in MY experience.. in electricity savings, adjust-ability, ease of use, reliability, and on and on... I almost killed a whole brood trying to manipulate a heat pad with some plastic wrap.

Think about nature.. chickens stay where they can get under mum while they still need her heat. Once they mature they ditch mum and never tuck under another to warm up again. The only time, they may need help with thermal regulation might be during times of illness.. like if your flock has bronchitis, coccidiosis, or other illness.. then the body is challenged in many aspects of function.

With chickens.. straw kinda sucks.. poos sit on top and then get matted down more so than with shavings. Straw is cheaper than shavings but mite carry some mites.. There's no perfect answer.. which one can you keep the driest and work with the easiest.. I did use straw aiming for semi deep litter in my coop and it's fine as long as I turn it regularly. Storing hay invites rats more than shaving do.. so far for me.. So many many factors.. are at play.. noting that insulation is not really one of them.. A thick layer of either should be about the same.. Landing off of roost.. I haven't yet decided if shaving or straw is more likely to cause a splinter or other type of foot penetration or increase likely hood of any bumble foot type infection. Using both, with 4 foot roost and heavy breed large fowl haven't had issues YET.

Just sharing thoughts and agreeing with others that healthy birds( with plenty of nutrition not diminished by excess low nutrient high energy sources such as scratch or corn), don't need added heat provided they are given well ventilated, draft free (no feather blowing wide open), and dry shelter.

However.. If I set up an experiment and discovered that they safely enjoyed the added creature comfort.. AND also had the resources to provide it.. uhm.. YA, that's the value of living in a first world country and owning PETS that aren't only for food!!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Tractor supply has the same cozy coop heaters for $35.00. I hope it's ok that I relayed that info.

That was a perfect share, welcome to BYC!

I try to be polite and respectful in answering everyone who took the time to advise or recommend things to me.

Use the quote button on their post and then the insert quote button at the bottom of your reply box... or the @ in front of a user name like @YvonneBack and both ways will tag them to let them know that you responded specifically to them.

 

[igorsMistress]

I would think supplementing with heat would slow feather production. My fall and winter chicks feather out faster than summer chicks. As long as there are no drafts and you have a dry, well ventilated coop I don’t think you’d need supplemental heat in your climate.

 

[YvonneBack]

I'm still on page one.. but agree with others that grown birds do not need added heat.

Their heat source is internal and they are insulated by wonderful down which they tuck their beaks and combs into during the night.. the feathers also cover their feet when they hunker down on roost.. they're cozied up inside warm down jackets and mummy bags relatively.. Keeping them dry and not having excess moisture build up inside the coop and settle on them creating frostbite.. is key.. keep it dry.. not warm.. they are equipped to handle it.. making it warm makes it more challenging to adjust when going outside plus what happen when there's power outages and the birds are suddenly without what they've depended on.. they are creatures of habit and will do as they've been accustomed to so they may be at a serious disadvantage if they've never learned the value of huddling.. they don't think their way out of situations well.

If I were going to use either.. it would be a sweeter heater type, wall panel, or something actually made for animals.. there are heater pads with hard wire protecting the cord from chewing etc.. also water proof while plugged in. That being said.. heat lamps have been used plenty safely by farmers for decades.. there is some risk to everything in life. As much as I also poopoo and dislike heat lamps.. I do recognize their usefulness..

For chicks.. a standard heat plate is by far superior to both a heat pad and a heat lamp in MY experience.. in electricity savings, adjust-ability, ease of use, reliability, and on and on... I almost killed a whole brood trying to manipulate a heat pad with some plastic wrap.

Think about nature.. chickens stay where they can get under mum while they still need her heat. Once they mature they ditch mum and never tuck under another to warm up again. The only time, they may need help with thermal regulation might be during times of illness.. like if your flock has bronchitis, coccidiosis, or other illness.. then the body is challenged in many aspects of function.

With chickens.. straw kinda sucks.. poos sit on top and then get matted down more so than with shavings. Straw is cheaper than shavings but mite carry some mites.. There's no perfect answer.. which one can you keep the driest and work with the easiest.. I did use straw aiming for semi deep litter in my coop and it's fine as long as I turn it regularly. Storing hay invites rats more than shaving do.. so far for me.. So many many factors.. are at play.. noting that insulation is not really one of them.. A thick layer of either should be about the same.. Landing off of roost.. I haven't yet decided if shaving or straw is more likely to cause a splinter or other type of foot penetration or increase likely hood of any bumble foot type infection. Using both, with 4 foot roost and heavy breed large fowl haven't had issues YET.

Just sharing thoughts and agreeing with others that healthy birds( with plenty of nutrition not diminished by excess low nutrient high energy sources such as scratch or corn), don't need added heat provided they are given well ventilated, draft free (no feather blowing wide open), and dry shelter.

However.. If I set up an experiment and discovered that they safely enjoyed the added creature comfort.. AND also had the resources to provide it.. uhm.. YA, that's the value of living in a first world country and owning PETS that aren't only for food!!

Thank you very much for all that. Last year we did shavings during the winter so will likely do that again and pay attention to the right foods.

 

[YvonneBack]

That was a perfect share, welcome to BYC!



Use the quote button on their post and then the insert quote button at the bottom of your reply box... or the @ in front of a user name like @YvonneBack and both ways will tag them to let them know that you responded specifically to them.

Thank you for that.

 

[YvonneBack]

I would think supplementing with heat would slow feather production. My fall and winter chicks feather out faster than summer chicks. As long as there are no drafts and you have a dry, well ventilated coop I don’t think you’d need supplemental heat in your climate.

Logically that sounds correct and I do remembering thinking Chelseys feathers were growing back much quicker then the summer months when it is over 100 deg f.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Logically that sounds correct and I do remembering thinking Chelseys feathers were growing back much quicker then the summer months when it is over 100 deg f.

Supplementing heat.. if a bird NEEDS it will allow their energy to go towards something more improtant..

Keeping a bird colder when younger uses more energy to stay warm and less energy would go to feather growth.. my guess.. it has to do with genetics.. and making a bird colder does NOT produce more rapid feather growth.. that just goes against everything I've learned regarding energy.. If anything time of year.. changing feather growth may have more to do with LIGHT hours.. altering hormone levels.. Feathers are made of 90% protein and it's amino acids.. at my house.. more protein is available on pasture during cooler months and dryer warmer month have less bugs.. even though my personal feed stays the same..

During summer months.. in hot locations.. appetite decreases.. energy intake decrease.. hello.. maybe slower feather growth has nothing to do with temperature.. and we are making wild guesses according to what WE can PERCEIVE.. breeding my birds with very specific goals, I can tell you that genetics and their inherent variability is the first factor, nutrition is the second.. regarding feather growth quality and speed.. some birds are fast feathering genetically.. others slow.. many crossed.. unless you know exactly these things about the bird being discussed.. it's basically speculation.. but the things I have shared are according to the research I've done.. using multiple studies that have been done by others.. and only personally verified within the limited range of my abilities.. so have been shared according to my understanding which is that knowledge is constantly changing.. the old school info about it taking 25 hours to form an egg.. was true according to the genetics AT THAT TIME. Bred for higher reproduction.. we KNOW many birds are making eggs every day.. I mean Jupiter ain't even a planet anymore..

 

[Finnie]

That's a very good quote. And I would be happy to be that generous and loving, though I try I'll never be as good. Every animal I've ever had the fortune to know has outshone me every time. Loosing Toby has a double whammy because he was my Sisters dog and when she died (5 years ago) he came to live with me and its like loosing my Sister all over again.

 

[YvonneBack]

Supplementing heat.. if a bird NEEDS it will allow their energy to go towards something more improtant..

Keeping a bird colder when younger uses more energy to stay warm and less energy would go to feather growth.. my guess.. it has to do with genetics.. and making a bird colder does NOT produce more rapid feather growth.. that just goes against everything I've learned regarding energy.. If anything time of year.. changing feather growth may have more to do with LIGHT hours.. altering hormone levels.. Feathers are made of 90% protein and it's amino acids.. at my house.. more protein is available on pasture during cooler months and dryer warmer month have less bugs.. even though my personal feed stays the same..

During summer months.. in hot locations.. appetite decreases.. energy intake decrease.. hello.. maybe slower feather growth has nothing to do with temperature.. and we are making wild guesses according to what WE can PERCEIVE.. breeding my birds with very specific goals, I can tell you that genetics and their inherent variability is the first factor, nutrition is the second.. regarding feather growth quality and speed.. some birds are fast feathering genetically.. others slow.. many crossed.. unless you know exactly these things about the bird being discussed.. it's basically speculation.. but the things I have shared are according to the research I've done.. using multiple studies that have been done by others.. and only personally verified within the limited range of my abilities.. so have been shared according to my understanding which is that knowledge is constantly changing.. the old school info about it taking 25 hours to form an egg.. was true according to the genetics AT THAT TIME. Bred for higher reproduction.. we KNOW many birds are making eggs every day.. I mean Jupiter ain't even a planet anymore..

Then that would be different from dogs, goats, horses, donkey etc who's winter coats are brought on by lowering temperatures and come springtime/summer shedding? Genetics, breed notwithstanding.