Heat pads

[Tyaloria]

Has anyone used a heat pad in a brooder?

is it advisable to/not to use one?
just a quick question that's been bothering me for a few hours.

What to you think/advise?

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

I would advise against it because it puts electrical components in a situation where water might come into contact with wiring. A suspended light bulb would keep your air temperature warm and encourage the chicks to move around. It's easier to measure the temperature, too. A heating pad would be on the ground and the heat distribution could be so uneven that chicks could be burned just like how heating pads can burn a person's skin. There are some contact brooders out there, but even with those the chicks huddle under the device rather than having to nestle down on top of the heat source.

 

[Tyaloria]

Thanks for the reply, the idea was just floating through my head and I thought Id ask what everyone else's opinions were.