Official BYC Poll: What Heat Lamp Setup Do You Use?

[kerryb90]

I've had horrible experiences with heat lamps - we had two explode on us when we were brooding our first ducklings. We figured out what we were doing wrong, but I use heat plates now. Higher upfront cost but ultimately safer IMO.

 

[room onthebroom]

I've had horrible experiences with heat lamps - we had two explode on us when we were brooding our first ducklings. We figured out what we were doing wrong, but I use heat plates now. Higher upfront cost but ultimately safer IMO.

Interesting. What were you doing wrong?

 

[RubelliteRose]

We use a red 250w heat lamp in the brooder. Our brooder is 2 extra large dog crates zip tied together with the heat lamp sitting on a pair of bricks on top of one crate so it can't fall. We don't use any extra heat in the coop.

 

[kerryb90]

Interesting. What were you doing wrong?

We had the heat bulb too close to the water. The duckies were splashing water EVERYWHERE and it was getting on the lamp. Also may have been something to do with the bulb voltage being too high for the lamp we bought, but my boyfriend can speak to that better than I.

 

[Parront]

I use 2 100 watt ceramic heat emitters. I have 75 and 50 watt versions, and as they get older, and weather gets warmer, I use lower power heaters. I use 2 in case one fails. I hang them with a chain, and that way I can make adjustments in the temp under them based on how the birds are acting. If it is very cold at night, I put a milk house heater in the shed I use for brooding, I have a thermostat I plug it into so it kicks on at 50 degrees. That way the hanging heaters do not get too cold under them. The heat is at one end of the 6' brooder area.

 

[Parront]

We had the heat bulb too close to the water. The duckies were splashing water EVERYWHERE and it was getting on the lamp. Also may have been something to do with the bulb voltage being too high for the lamp we bought, but my boyfriend can speak to that better than I.

Water splashing on a hot bulb will shatter it.

 

[kerryb90]

Water splashing on a hot bulb will shatter it.

Yes! We learned that the hard way. Luckily none of the ducks were injured, but we'd had enough of heat bulbs by the time the second one broke haha.

 

[Parront]

Yes! We learned that the hard way. Luckily none of the ducks were injured, but we'd had enough of heat bulbs by the time the second one broke haha.

The food and water in the brooder set-up I use are at the far end, ~5' from the heat. The ceramic heaters would have the same reaction to being splashed with cold duck water!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I brood in the coop usually early spring.

If I don't have a broody hen I use a 250 watt red bulb.
I hang it using a chain NOT the ridiculous clip the fixtures come with.

Feed and water are on the opposite end of the brooding area from the heat.

 

[Corbdee]

I use a red 250 watt, a clear 250 watt (those two for big poultry quantities), or a clear 125 watt. May I suggest adding a 125 watt to the poll?