Near catastrophe....PLEASE learn from my mistake

[Southernbelle]

Quote:
Wholeheartedly agree! When I use heat lamps, I always hang from above using chain.

 

[SunAngel]

I use the red and white infrared heat lamp bulbs, luckily there has been no bad incidents with them.

The ones I clamp to a 2x4 I put 2 screws on either side, to hold the clamps to the 2x4 and also use a chain or wire ties to reinforce that the lamp can't move at all. With my new brooder, I made it tall enough so that I could set the lamp right on top of the wire covering the top. There is no chance of it falling through or moving to hit any wood, but I still ran a chain up to the ceiling to make double sure.

I have 89 chicks and 3 ducklings right now, it would be a great loss if any of the heat lamps caught fire!

 

[briteday]

I went to the pet store and bought a 75 watt reptile bulb. And it is in a hanging lamp that has a ceramic base. I think both those items are crucial to keeping the fire danger in check.

The reptile bulb doesn't get nearly as hot in the fixture as the 250 watt thing they sell at the feed store. I tried one of those and returned it the next day. I didn't need to cook my chickens just yet!

And the cheap clamp lamps only have plastic screw in bases. If you look hard you can find the ceramic based lamps even at Walmart. They stay much cooler and can be hung as well as clamped. Mine is actually clamped to the side of the brooder but we run a wire above as a secondary precaution.

 

[eponagirl]

It's great you saved them from any disaster...that must have been very scary indeed!

If it helps anyone else....I found this great product:

10" Brooder Lamp Safety Cover (strong mesh- not like the flimsy "guard" that comes with the clamp lamps)

Here is a link to where I got it:
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=1075

I was worried about disaster too, we have both a ceramic heat emitter (150 Watt) AND a 100 Watt Red Heat bulb set up in two different ways so I can use one or the other or both :

This same company might have good prices on the bulbs and brooder lamp too.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Any type of bulb can cause a fire if not secured properly.

I chose to use the 250 watt RED heating lamps because I've found the chicks are calmer with the red light. Look how many people write and say 'oh no - my chicks are picking each other bloody - what should I do?'

I secured my 2 heat lamps to my huge stock tank by placing a metal folding chair behind it, clamping the light to the chair and then wrapped the cord around the back of the chair so it was snug so if the clamp gave way, the light wouldn't fall in the tank.

And then I had hardware cloth on top of the stock tank.

 

[AK Michelle]

SCARRY!

Glad you noticed in time to prevent disaster. Judging by the comments from others this was a very important subject to post.

In Alaska we loose a few barns a year to heat lamps, They do get hot, and they fall down or get knocked over. You can never be too careful or casual about a heat source. It's job is to get hot, and once it's hot it can become a problem.

Everything I've read said to use the red light, but I just used a regular (I think it's a 75 watt?) bulb and mine seem to be doing just fine. I did have to paint some Blue-Kote on the cochins toes cause everyone wanted to pick at them, but once I did that it was the end of the picking.

Your chicks are too cute, can't wait to have some like that running around here!

Michelle

 

[Akane]

A better lesson is never use a high wattage bulb without some backup safety. The clamps on those heat lamps are junk. Never ever ever trust them for anything. When I use over a 100w bulb I tie it in place with 2 rock climbing slings that have a breaking strength of about 800-1000lbs. I did bow a plastic brace on a 55g using a 100w bulb. If there is anything burnable within range I will tie the fixture down even with just 100w bulbs running.