Heat rocks?

[Shared Acres]

I currently have a Silkies and a Cochin chick under a heat lamp in the brooder but I have button quail hatching next week.

Not sure if the Silkies & Cochin babies will hurt the quail so I'm setting up an alternative plan just in case.

I was thinking of putting an aquarium or bird cage in the frontroom, but don't like the idea of a light hanging over the cage. (There will be plenty of daylight from windows.) I was thinking a reptile heat rock might be ideal, that way they can snuggle it if they need the warmth.

Actually, hubby and I were thinking someone should invent a heat cave so baby chickens can crawl inside (like being under a momma).

The house is usually at about 70-76 degrees this time of year, do you think that a heat rock will be enough or do I really need a lamp too?

 

[your_pal_skip]

I would be careful about a heat rock, you can't control the temperature with them and they get too hot for a chick to rest directly on them for warmth. They do have heating pads that go underneath reptile tanks that might be a safer bet. You can't control the heat on them either, but you cover the pad with a lot of substrate and the heat radiates out instead of toasting directly. With one of the heating pads you'd want to make sure it only goes under half the tank, so if it's too hot there's a cooler area to rest in.

 

[Shared Acres]

Thanks!

Currently we do have a regular human type heating pad half under one brooder for extra warmth. Might have to do that too.