Bhubbard
Songster
I hear you. I just curious on brooder that for years has seem to be the way to do it with lamp. I actually use massive kids pool bedding and Lamp witch 2x4 inch fencing over pool and lamp has the exterior metal cross on it. Like in that post seems to be freak accident with something knocking it down. So sad.If you search through the forums long enough you'll find reports of fires every year. Lemme see if I happen to have any bookmarked... well that didn't take long: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/coop-fire-advice-needed.1555495/ Granted this isn't in a brooder but the point remains that they can cause fires or in this case, a lot of smoke.
Just to clarify I use a heating pad, not a plate, and yes I still have a heat lamp in the garage as a backup (which I had to use once because I got chicks a day earlier than expected and needed to keep them warm while I got the heating pad set up!)