Plastic Bin Brooder, and preventing fire with heat lamp?

[Orpington71]

Thank you for sharing, I got the heat pad. I will be setting it up tomorrow when I am able to get a piece of wire. Also the setting on it are just high med and low, so how am I supposed to know what to put it on,

?*

 

[azygous]

First week with the babies, put the pad on the highest setting. The second week, put it on the medium setting, and watch them. If they huddle inside in a tight clump, turn it back to high.

The frame should be adjusted so the pad touches their backs. They double in size each week, so you will need to adjust the frame so it's as tall as the chicks' backs. Do it again the third week, and lower the setting to medium or low.

If the room where you have the chicks is warmer than 70F, the pad doesn't need to be as warm as it would if the room is kept at 60F. In fact, the cooler the room, the better off the chicks will be because they will adjust to cool temps very early, and you'll be able to move them into the coop with no heat by five or six weeks.

 

[Orpington71]

First week with the babies, put the pad on the highest setting. The second week, put it on the medium setting, and watch them. If they huddle inside in a tight clump, turn it back to high.

The frame should be adjusted so the pad touches their backs. They double in size each week, so you will need to adjust the frame so it's as tall as the chicks' backs. Do it again the third week, and lower the setting to medium or low.

If the room where you have the chicks is warmer than 70F, the pad doesn't need to be as warm as it would if the room is kept at 60F. In fact, the cooler the room, the better off the chicks will be because they will adjust to cool temps very early, and you'll be able to move them into the coop with no heat by five or six weeks.

Okay, thank you. I wasn’t with my mom when she got the heating pad but closer to inspection apparently this one does not have a auto off setting *sighs*. So I’ll try my hardest to see what and where I can get one tomorrow. She said the pad was sunbeam, but it wasn’t the certain one that many use, and also I wouldn’t be around to turn it on every 2 hours.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Instead of wire I used a closet shelf with the legs bent. Easy to keep bending to get the height right as they grew. These shelves are really strong also. I made 2, one I cut the legs then bent, the other I just bent. Not worth
cutting i think. The one in these pics was made as a second for bigger chicks so it's not as low as you'd want it.

 

[azygous]

Very clever! Are your baby chicks able to make direct contact with the pad with their backs? Especially during the first two weeks?

 

[Orpington71]

Instead of wire I used a closet shelf with the legs bent. Easy to keep bending to get the height right as they grew. These shelves are really strong also. I made 2, one I cut the legs then bent, the other I just bent. Not worth
cutting i think. The one in these pics was made as a second for bigger chicks so it's not as low as you'd want it.
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I see, I’ll see if i can find something like that! Thanks!

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Very clever! Are your baby chicks able to make direct contact with the pad with their backs? Especially during the first two weeks?

They were yes, although it looks high here. I used this one when they were bigger and moved outside so they had more warm space. But the legs were prone to sinking into the bedding a bit so it ended up lower than it looks. I had to put small Tupperware lids under the legs to control that as they grew. Later even added wood blocks with holes drilled to accept the legs. The system worked fine though, it was flexible enough with simple tweaks as they grew up.

 

[aart]

Okay, thank you. I wasn’t with my mom when she got the heating pad but closer to inspection apparently this one does not have a auto off setting *sighs*. So I’ll try my hardest to see what and where I can get one tomorrow. She said the pad was sunbeam, but it wasn’t the certain one that many use, and also I wouldn’t be around to turn it on every 2 hours.

Wait, it does have the auto-off....but you can't disable that feature?

 

[rita2paul]

i know there are so many ways to keep your chicks and some really good advice. i only hatch a few and i keep them inside then i will put them into my cattery for another few weeks. would love to have lots of space. when bigger they will go out side into a run area.

 

[Orpington71]

Wait, it does have the auto-off....but you can't disable that feature?

I guess so....