Heat Lamps and Brooders

[Bird Lady Outlaw]

Well my chicks are obviously aren't going to arrive today so I guess I have some time to research my setup. I'm second-guessing myself I have a plastic tote that I used to brood my chicks last fall but I had it in the garage. The garage is cold and doesn't have electricity I'm wondering if I could still use the same setup just inside my house! Help! Is it too dangerous?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't recommend the plastic tote because it doesn't provide enough space for a warm spot and cool space, plus it quickly gets outgrown. They are pricey and have to be stored when not in use.
If necessary to brood in the house, I go to Lowe's and get a couple large moving boxes. They're 18" X 24". You can cut doors in them and put 2 together for a 24 X 36 brooder. After the first week, you can put food and water in one box and heat in the other. If necessary to keep chicks indoors longer, just add another box. They're only $1.50 each. After brooding, you can just compost them, bedding, feces and all.
Rather than a heat lamp, I prefer ceramic heat emitters.
Lower wattage like 75 or 150 watt is more appropriate for brooding indoors in small spaces. They are safer, more energy efficient and aren't as breakable.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html_fro...he.TRS0&_nkw=ceramic+heat+emitter&_sacat=1285
If you are going to do it more than once, the premier heat plates will save money on electricity enough to pay for themselves.
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/heating-plates-and-covers

 

[Bird Lady Outlaw]

I don't recommend the plastic tote because it doesn't provide enough space for a warm spot and cool space, plus it quickly gets outgrown. They are pricey and have to be stored when not in use.
If necessary to brood in the house, I go to Lowe's and get a couple large moving boxes. They're 18" X 24". You can cut doors in them and put 2 together for a 24 X 36 brooder. After the first week, you can put food and water in one box and heat in the other. If necessary to keep chicks indoors longer, just add another box. They're only $1.50 each. After brooding, you can just compost them, bedding, feces and all.
Rather than a heat lamp, I prefer ceramic heat emitters.
Lower wattage like 75 or 150 watt is more appropriate for brooding indoors in small spaces. They are safer, more energy efficient and aren't as breakable.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html_fro...he.TRS0&_nkw=ceramic+heat+emitter&_sacat=1285
If you are going to do it more than once, the premier heat plates will save money on electricity enough to pay for themselves.
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/heating-plates-and-covers

I've looked everywhere and it's take me at least a wk to get one. Would it be a bad idea to try to set it up with the stuff I have?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

To get one what?
You likely can brood chicks with what you have at home.
As long as you can provide a warm spot (90F) and cool space. That's all you need.

 

[Bird Lady Outlaw]

To get one what?
You likely can brood chicks with what you have at home.
As long as you can provide a warm spot (90F) and cool space. That's all you need.

To get the heat plates. My husband is scared to death the plastic tote will catch fire. I'm trying to revamp my whole system before they arrive tomorrow. I thought my little set up I had outside would be fine for the inside too but I guess it could really fry the chicks and start a fire! Help! They'll be here tomorrow!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Relax. We'll get through this together.
That said, you really can fry the chicks in a plastic tote with a heat lamp. I've done it. You will have them in the house. They won't need a great deal of additional heat. Lose the heat lamp. It provides too much heat in a small warm space. A drop light with a 60 or 75 watt incandescent lamp wrapped in foil is plenty of heat. I say wrapped in foil because the chicks won't need 24 hour a day light after the first few days.


I had two chicks hatch right before I was going out of town and had a friend house/chicken sitting.
I had to hurriedly set up something to keep the chicks in so he could easily care for them.
I hung a heat lamp in a plastic tote. I put a thermometer in the tote and it was so hot the thermometer exploded.
I moved the chicks to the enclosed back porch and raised the heat lamp well above the tote but it still overheated the space. When I came home the chicks had fried in that small space. That's why I recommended just using a much lower wattage lamp in a couple of cardboard boxes. That way the chicks can escape the heat and find a comfort zone. They are in much greater danger of being overheated than being chilled. They aren't as fragile as one may assume.

 

[Shezadandy]

Or- you can try a MHP or Momma Heating Pad. If you have a heating pad that doesn't have auto-shut-off - a rack for roasting a turkey or something like it- a pillow case ... and a hand towel ... you can make one in minutes with extremely low fire danger that mimics a broody hen and results in quiet, happy chicks that can learn about it being dark at night from day one. =) I used the racks from a kitchen cabinet thing that holds foil/saran wrap etc. - but anything like that will work. It can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be. There are a bunch of threads to explore on the subject. It took me about 10 minutes to make this one, and I just leave it in place.

The most important things are a heating pad that stays on 24/7 - the chicks will tell you if it's too hot or too cold- too hot and they won't stay under there long - too cold and they'll go under but complain loudly- having 3 open sides so everyone can get in and out easily- and having the 4th side slope to the ground to mimic the side of a broody hen- they warm up by pressing their backs against the heating pad as opposed to other methods that require the air to be heated to a certain temperature. And last- make sure there's nowhere for their heads to get stuck!

I keep my house around 60-62 in winter and they've thrived with just the MHP. Room lights go on during the day, we make a little sunset with a lamp on the floor, then lights go off whenever bedtime is.

 

[ChickNanny13]

MHP is the way to go, no over heating & I've done it in a large plastic bin

 

[aart]

60 or 75 watt incandescent lamp wrapped in foil

Huh..never heard of this.....doesn't 'overheat' the bulb?