Heat source for brooder

[Kleonaptra]

Ok, my 3rd heat lamp has just blown.

It should be noted in Australia all our bulbs are now energy efficient and therefore do not put out any heat. My first light was an old halogen spotlight that we had for about 20years. When it blew we bought an exo terra infrared bulb meant for reptiles. It blew in a couple hours and my poor duckies had to go back in the bator. We got a replacement from the store, and on its 4th day, today, its blown.

I have sent an angry letter to their head office, stating that no matter what kind of animal the light was used for, this is an utter disgrace. Not just in danger of freezing to death but also broken glass. If it was a reptile I would have been just as upset.

Ive ordered a ceramic heat emitter, meant for reptiles or poultry and I should have it by the weekend. In the mean time Im not sure what to do. Thankfully its warm today but they are still huddled on their hot water bottle. Plenty of places sell halogens but I dont know if they give heat. Im looking at a bathroom lamp, its infrared but its 275w that seems too high.

Worst come to worst, back in the bator overnight. Little Stormy is quite comfortable in there but the 2 bigger ones get cranky.

Any suggestions? Cant even find a 100w halogen, highest is 90w and thats converted output for energy efficiency - meaning it may not put out that much energy at all.

 

[Omellette]

Is there a pet store near you where you can run out and grab a ceramic light?

 

[AussieChics]

I have used a salt lamp in emergencies. Put it on a plate and chucked it in with the chicks. They huddle next to it and its not hot enough to burn them. Not sure if thats any help?

 

[MeepBeep]

Plenty of places sell halogens but I dont know if they give heat.

Ironically halogens give off slightly more heat per Watt vs incandescents, but they also give off more light per Watt making them more efficient light wise...

Incandescents convert about 90% of the Wattage used to heat while halogens convert about 95% of the Wattage to heat...

This is why halogens are used in some ovens, they are darn good at converting electricity to heat, but only so so at converting electricity to light, but better than incandecents...

So if you are looking to replace a 100W incadecent heat lamp with a halogen get a true Wattage 95-100W halogen and it will produce about the same amount of heat, again use the true Wattage, not the 'equivalent Wattage' rating... For example the advertised 100W halogen replacement use only 72W to put out the same amount of light, but they also put out about as much heat as a 75W incandecent...

Im looking at a bathroom lamp, its infrared but its 275w that seems too high.

Pretty much what we use in the US, that being 250W infrared heat lamps, just make sure your light fixture is rated for that Wattage and has a good ceramic base as the plastic ones will fail... Put a thermometer directly under the bulb and raise or lower it until you get the correct heat under the light, give the chicks room to get away from the light if they want and then monitor them... Also beware of fire risk...

 

[Kleonaptra]

Thanks so much for all your replies. We ended up getting a 100w halogen globe, not sure where my partner ended up getting it from. I bought an excellent ceramic fitting when I bought the exo terra bulb so Im set for a fitting, we screwed it into a piece of wood and that sits on top of the plastic tub Im using.

They have posted my ceramic already so I'll most likely have it tomorrow or the next day. I had never even heard of these before today, never seen them in pet or farm stores. It just came up in my searches today. Even if my halogen bulb works well Im glad I got the ceramic - Ive always worried about hot glass over precious babies and with the ceramic I wont have to worry about that! I'll say one thing for that exo terra - it knew how to break. Both of them did not shatter but broke into neat pieces that were easily cleaned up. Still gave me an absolute heart attack until I saw my babies were ok!

Poor little things, they've put up with so much now!

 

[Mrs.H]

I know a lot of people will not agree with this but I have never used heat lamps in my brooder with any of my babies bc I fear it will start a fire. What I use is a small plastic box turned upside down with a doorway cut out, I then line it with a few layers of fleece top and sides and they will go inside to sleep or just to keep warm. It's just an option if you can't find the right bulbs.

 

[Kleonaptra]

I know a lot of people will not agree with this but I have never used heat lamps in my brooder with any of my babies bc I fear it will start a fire. What I use is a small plastic box turned upside down with a doorway cut out, I then line it with a few layers of fleece top and sides and they will go inside to sleep or just to keep warm. It's just an option if you can't find the right bulbs.

Thats a really good idea actually, I'll keep that one in mind. Of course I have my ceramic on the way, a 100w halogen, a 75w halogen, and our seasonal weather has returned, so its a good 35degrees anyway...That's in the 90s converted for most of you I believe?

Little Stormy always seems cold and cuddles up to Abbey a lot. Abbey seems very comfortable, but Que has seemed awfully hot today, laying around panting. I turned the light off for awhile but Stormy started huddling and cheeping at me...Sigh. I might go with a small hot water bottle during the day so Stormy can cuddle up on it but the others can get away from it easier than the light. Don't get me wrong, theres plenty of room in the box to get away from the light I just think that combined with the ambient temp of the air is too much for Que.

 

[Ashley80]

What part of Australia are you in? I'm in Perth Hills and there are a couple of local heritage breed chicken farms/business that sell brooder supplies relatively cheaply compared to pet stores. If your near Perth let me know and I'll send you their details.

 

[Kleonaptra]

What part of Australia are you in? I'm in Perth Hills and there are a couple of local heritage breed chicken farms/business that sell brooder supplies relatively cheaply compared to pet stores. If your near Perth let me know and I'll send you their details.

HeHe...Had to grin. Im in the Sydney area....Which isn't really anywhere near Sydney, as Im sure you know.

The farm store I usually go to for horse feed was my first call. For some unknown reason, they had no incubator or brooder supplies. They directed me to another store I couldn't get thru to. My local Petbarn is very rural, but they sure have let me down this time. I sent a strongly worded email to them and Im about to send another one, because the fitting is playing up. The halogen is flickering occasionally, but still working, and my new ceramic wont heat up, even though the fitting and the ceramic are compatible.

They are getting too big for my brooder now and I'll need to sort out something else. I don't have the light on most of the day now, its just too hot.

 

[Ashley80]

What bad run you've had! Lucky our weather is so much milder than some other places, imagine the stress dealing with these things in the cold.