Heating mat instead of lamp?

[Violanna]

So the weather is finally getting warmer here and I’m getting my extra large garage brooder set up for my chicks to move in Tuesday. I have a space heater for night and I do have heat lamps, but I was wondering if anyone has ever used a heating mat under bedding before??

I have a Kane heating mat with a thermostat that is 100% pet safe. I used it for my tortoise. Technically the chicks would be able to sit directly on it and I can control the exact temperature how I want. I would obviously put bedding on top for their comfort. It’s 18”x24” so it would maintain heat in a much wider area than a heat lamp. Which would work out better for my large brooder which is 4’x6’

 

[NatJ]

So the weather is finally getting warmer here and I’m getting my extra large garage brooder set up for my chicks to move in Tuesday...my large brooder which is 4’x6’

How many chicks?

For starters, I would probably set it up with one heat lamp in one corner (about a foot from each wall), and NO other heat source, then measure the temperature under the heat lamp with a thermometer. If the heat lamp makes a big enough space for all the chicks to get warm at once, I would use it that way. If the heat lamp cannot make enough warmth, in a big enough space for all the chicks, I would consider adding other heat.

Chicks need access to a warm place (90+ degrees) to get warm, but they do not need their entire area warm. They need access to a cool area too. The cool area should be below about 70 degrees, but all the way down to freezing is fine. Yes, literal ice forming on the water kind of freezing. As long as the chicks can all fit in the warm place at once (like for sleeping), they should be fine.

I find it helpful to think of a broody hen: the chicks can snuggle in her feathers to get warm, and they sleep there, but during the day they keep coming out to run around. Chicks do this even when temperatures are below freezing. As they get older, then spend more time running around and less time snuggled up keeping warm. The hen does not heat the air in the pen, and she does not get cooler from one week to the next. The chicks just spend less time under her, and eventually they sleep beside her instead of underneath.

 

[NatJ]

...heating plates, that use FAR LESS electricity than the heat bulbs...

True, but every time I have looked at prices, they cost quite a bit more to buy. So I'm not sure which one actually comes out cheaper overall.

I do prefer heat lamps, but you are right about their disadvantages, and especially about the need to be careful of fires.

I don't think there will ever be a way of warming chicks that is best for ALL circumstances, so it's a matter of picking what is best for each person's specific situation. I'm glad your heat plate has worked well for you, just as I'm glad my heat lamp has worked well for me.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know how effective it would be under the chicks. You might read this to see how others use a heating pad.

Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE | BackYard Chickens - Learn How to Raise Chickens

I use a heat lamp. As long as the lamp is held in place with wire or chain so it cannot fall I consider them as safe as any other method. If you depend on that clamp I consider them risky.

I don't know what temperatures you will see inside that garage. Heat lamps and heating pad caves have been used in temperatures below freezing so if you set it up right it should work. The only qualification I can think about is how many chicks will you have. Will they all fit in the cave when they grow? Will you need to use more than one heat lamp to heat a large enough area? If set up properly I consider both heating methods to be good.

 

[ShaunJ421]

I wasn't trying to downplay heat bulbs. Like I said in my post, they have worked for many, many people. And they have for many, many years. They definitely serve their purpose. And heat lamps were your only option back in the day. So they definitely work. I was just giving my own personal opinion. And giving another option to the original poster. I had no idea about the heat plates until I decided to get chickens and did my research last year. They are safer than heat lamps. And they use less electricity than heat lamps. Those were the points I was trying to make. It all depends on your own personal situation, and own personal opinions.

I don't like the heating plates because we cannot see what's going on underneith and it is difficult to measure the temperature gradient/distribution. Reading this forum has made me feel guilty about using 24-hour light bulbs. The black ceramic heaters that screw into a light fixture seems like the best trade-off. Also, a ceramic heater will put out more heat than a light bulb of the same wattage so it saves electricity.

I could see under mine just fine. They really would only go under it at night to sleep. You don't need to regulate the heat on the heat plate I bought, it does it all on its own. I would just raise the legs on the heat plate, as the chicks got bigger, until they were all feathered out and no longer needed heat. Chicks are pretty smart to find heat if they're cold, or find a cool spot if they get too hot.

True, but every time I have looked at prices, they cost quite a bit more to buy. So I'm not sure which one actually comes out cheaper overall.

It depends on how long the heat bulbs last. Those aren't cheap either. Some could last months. Some can last weeks. Some could last days. There's just no telling how long they'll last. And you always need a backup, for when (Not if) it eventually blows. I went through a whole cycle of day old chicks, up through feathering, using just the 1 heat plate. And I still have it when I decide to hatch out some chicks from my flock, in the future. Some people go through a heat bulb or 2 during just 1 cycle of chicks. So not only does it depend on how long the bulbs last, but also how many cycles you plan on doing. If you're only doing 1 cycle, then heat lamps MAY be the more cost effective for you. But you also have to take into account electricity used. And it seems like electricity rates keep increasing. So there's lots to consider if you're looking to be "cost effective", other than the cost of the materials. Operating costs are also a factor. I'm an electrician. I did all the math before I bought chicks, and the heat plate was the best option for me.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It’s not a heating pad, it’s a heating mat for use in outdoor enclosures during winter. It is about an inch thick hard plastic

Set it up at the appropriate height and drape a cloth over it to reach the ground on three sides if you really want to use it. If you read that thread on how to set it up the chicks need to touch it with their back so put it at a slope so different chicks can fit under it.

 

[ShaunJ421]

I'm not a fan of heat lamps, just my personal opinion. I know many people use them with no issues at all. But I've used them in the past for other animals. They work, but they have a tendency to blow out. Which leave you with no heat. I've also heard stories of chickens knocking them over, starting fires. For those reasons, when I decided to get chicks for the first time last year, I researched and found they had heating plates, that use FAR LESS electricity than the heat bulbs. They have 4 legs, so they can't be tipped over. I decided to buy one. I bought the Rent-A-Coop heating plate. I bought the biggest one they had, figuring the number of birds it could handle would be grossly overrated, much like the pre-built chicken coops. Well it was much bigger than I needed, for my 16x day old chicks. But it worked perfectly. The chicks were happy. And I won't use anything else in the future. And I definitely recommend them to anyone getting new baby chicks. Especially with rising electric rates. I can't speak about any of the other brands, but I wound imagine they're all pretty similar. But I also recommend getting the no-roost cover for the top of it. It'll save you a lot of time cleaning chicken poop off the top of it. I'm definitely happy I got one.

 

[Violanna]

Take a bit of Hardware cloth make a half circle put the heating pad over it.
That way birds can go under if cool or not.

It’s not a heating pad, it’s a heating mat for use in outdoor enclosures during winter. It is about an inch thick hard plastic

 

[addctd2plnts]

So the weather is finally getting warmer here and I’m getting my extra large garage brooder set up for my chicks to move in Tuesday. I have a space heater for night and I do have heat lamps, but I was wondering if anyone has ever used a heating mat under bedding before??

I have a Kane heating mat with a thermostat that is 100% pet safe. I used it for my tortoise. Technically the chicks would be able to sit directly on it and I can control the exact temperature how I want. I would obviously put bedding on top for their comfort. It’s 18”x24” so it would maintain heat in a much wider area than a heat lamp. Which would work out better for my large brooder which is 4’x6’

I think the Kane Heating Mat directions say not to put anything on top of it because the mat is activated somehow by the dog's heat on it. I don't think it is a constant heat source, and bedding on it may not work. Even bare I'm not sure the chicks mass is enough for it to work reliably. I'm not sure I'd chance it.

 

[addctd2plnts]

Set it up at the appropriate height and drape a cloth over it to reach the ground on three sides if you really want to use it. If you read that thread on how to set it up the chicks need to touch it with their back so put it at a slope so different chicks can fit under it.

These type of heating pad caves are made using heating mats that stay on. The Kane Mats are stiff and are not a source that stays on at a high heat because dogs already have a coat on and can overheat. I don't think the heat will be high enough because chicks require much more heat that a dog does.