Incredibly stupid question about a brooder

[Ridgerunner]

Whatever your heat source, make sure it is very secure. It does not take the chicks long to start running and jumping. If the heat source is not secure, they will knock it down. I do not trust the clamps that come wth the heat lamps at all. I suspend my heat lamp above the brooder on a very secure wire. Then I put a second wire on it as back-up.

I use a red light as that is supposed to keep them calmer.

I also point the heat source at one corner so they can go cool off if they want to. They usually do spread all over the brooder, some in the warmer sections and some in the cooler sections. After all, when a hen raises them, they do not stay under her for warmth all the time but just go to her when they need to warm back up.

 

[geebs]

Excellent question.. I have used a heat rock designed for reptiles that cleans easy.. but when it failed... I didnt' know and my chicks got cold..(bad deal) so I guess visual aid... hmm hadn't thought of it...


Note: Heat source for ppl getting chicks from you.... Tube sock and rice (microwaved)... Very disposible and inexpensive... and the ppl getting chicks will know you care.

 

[ryanroth]

I used a heating pad as an experiment and it did not get the overall temperature increase that the brooder light did. I used a swine heating pad that is used in farrowing crates for piglets. I did however use it underneath my brooder (plastic stock tank) to take the chill out of the concrete in the garage and added 10 degrees to the temperature just doing that.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Quote:
I use hardware cloth not netting, more durable, and you can put the heat lamp on the wire

 

[Contessa]

Wow, thank you everyone. You guys are awesome.

I love the rubbermaid container idea - do you think zip ties might work to secure the HWC? Also like the ceramic heater and reptile rocks. I was worried that a heating pad might not be enough, but hadn't considered it sparking a fire with the litter (though this makes total sense now that it was mentioned). It also might not be great on one side of a plastic bin and chicks flying into it would be pretty bad.

Glad to know it wasn't so silly to ask after all. Now I have a ton of great ideas for a brooder box!

YAY!
\\

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

zip ties will work but you will need to get in the box to feed and water, if you put the HWC on a frame that will hold the cloth and you will be able to get in and out of the box

 

[catdaddy66]

Another reason that I have read here for using overhead lights is that is the direction of heat they would get from a momma hen! Can't fool Mother Nature!

 

[Laurieks]

Quote:
I used the clamp that came with the brooder lamp on a shelf about 36" above the brooder, then hung the lamp from it with an S-hook and light chain looped thru the ring on the lamp and back to the ring; when I want it higher I just use a different link on the chain. It's very secure. If I had a 250 watt bulb (I can't find red in less than 250) I'd be moving it away from the shelf a bit more, like hanging from the ceiling.
I just found a post with ceramic heat emitter that looks like it fits in the brooder lamp and let the chicks have actual dark at night. I am sold on that! Off to Petsmart or somewhere tomorrow to get one. We had a nice reptile/fish store a few years ago but it went belly up =\\

Thanks for this thread all!

 

[Harleena]

Yeah, that heat emitter is a great idea! I've always used a clamp light with 100w bulb which works fine but the peeps are always lit when they sleep, poor babies.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

just remember with the emitter, you can not 'see' they are working, they last a long time so get in to the habit of checking them, so when they do go out its not a surprise, i put my hand near it so i can feel that its working every time i check my chicks