JenLiz
Songster
Okay, so I have the brooder all set up. I am using a heat lamp. Yes, I know that almost everyone will tell me to use MHP method, but we have already purchased the lamp and accessories, so that is what we will be using. I've done a few test runs with the lamp on and I'm very happy with the temperatures at both the heated end and the cool end. I have faith in my brooder set-up, and have taken all of the safety precautions to prevent overheating the chicks (chick friendly bulb, adjustable lamp height, secondary anchoring system, etc.). But here is my question. Has anyone used a heated stone to provide radiant heat for the chicks while the lamp is not on? My thought is that if there is a stone in the brooder and it absorbs the heat from the lamp, once the lamp is switched off, would the chicks like to huddle around the heated stone? I am going to be brooding in my screen porch and we live in Florida, average daily temps are 80-85 these days (it reached 80 at 10 am this morning and is now 81). I know that the chicks only need the 90-95 degrees for their first week and then you are supposed to decrease the heat by 5 degree increments each week until the heat is no longer needed. Obviously when the temperatures drop to the 70s through the night they will need the heat lamp. I was just thinking that a warmed stone, maybe wrapped in some flannel, would be a nice little "warm body" to huddle around when the heat lamp is not on. I know the stone will stay warm for over an hour after switching off the lamp, so I was thinking (once they are around 2 weeks old) in the mornings I could switch the lamp off and the stone would provide body heat until the outdoor temps rise up to the 80s. My husband, who is an asphalt and concrete contractor, actually brought the idea up last night and I realized I'd never seen any posts about it before so I thought I'd ask. Thanks for any input!
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