*resolved* Thanks everyone!

[AZSummer]

Shikens! :

Quote:
Sorry. I didn't understand that.

Wowza I was trying to be humorous and lighten the mood in this thread.

eta- Oh, you edited your post.​

I did. Sorry. I mis-read your post and overreacted. I know you're trying to do right by your chicks.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

I really think the heating pad is the best solution! The hardest part is finding one that does not have auto shut off. CVS and other drug stores seem to carry them. They're fairly inexpensive, safe, and they work!

 

[Shikens!]

Quote:
I will start looking into it! Thank you!

 

[Hinotori]

My electrician hubby actually helped set up my lights. It was the dust that made him nuts inside so the coop had a heavy duty exterior extention cord ran to it and two heat lamps set up in it to get them outside. They are attatched 3 ways each. I was the one worried about the cord but I'm terrified of electricity. He wasn't concerned at all. Space heaters and electric blankets are more dangerous.

When I think back to the ways grandma incubated and brooded chicks, I seem paranoid. And she had knob and tube wiring in the old unheated quanset hut where she kept it all.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i've brooded hundreds of baby chicks. i bought porcelain clamp lamps in the reptile section at Petco: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753959 then i put in 75 watt heat lamps, also found in the reptile section. Total cost is under $20. For brooders i used either flight cages or sometimes rubbermaid bins with a metal mesh cover. Heat lamps will clamp onto things like the bars of the cage, or set on top of the covers for the bins. Then i used several twist ties for additional security so the lamp would not budge. i never had a problem, ever. You just have to be careful to attach them securely and have clearance around them, like don't drape a towel over them or anything silly like that. One spring i had 6-7 brooder cages in one room, all with heat lamps going 24/7 for months.

 

[PrettyCoy]

Shikens! :

Now it looks like I need to scour the globe for the cheapest price on an ecoglow!

I just got mine on Monday (and my chicks came this AM). I looked for a couple months to try to find a cheaper price but couldn't find anything better than getting it from the Brinsea site with the 10% coupon. I too was really worried about using a lightbulb and fire safety. I was going to use a ceramic bulb but discovered that it was the same cost to buy the bulb and light fixture as getting the Ecoglow. It is a lot of $ but so worth it for the extra safety and also less electricity used. Also, I bet after you use it you could sell it for almost as much as you purchased it for on ebay or to someone local.​

 

[nifftiness]

Whats your outside temps like. I have always used a red flood light i think it is called from the hardware store. They only cost like $6 I think and are 100w. I DONT keep my lights on 24/7. I put them on during the colder part of the day and turn it off when i feel they dont need it. The perk to this is the chicks feather out faster and can go with out the light sooner.

I had two chicks hatch last week and decided to try them with no light. They are in the house, but we dont use heat (we use a fireplace)
and out here your not allowed to use your fireplaces after May 1st so the chicks have had NO heat lamps and are totaly fine. I put a towel over their brooder at night time and during the day i have the lid off, no heat and their not hudding together. Their active and eating fine. I was prepared to put a light in if need be, but they are fine. And its still chilly here.

By June its wamed up quite a bit. I say get your chicks, try them with no light, Make sure theirs no drafts, monitor them to make sure their eating and not hudding to much and they will probably be fine. And if you feel you need a light then, mabe it will be easier to convince your hubby when the chicks are their, and turn the light of during the warmer parts of the day to ease his fears.

 

[N2Shown]

Shikens! :

I have already tried talking sense into him. His response is still NO HEAT LAMPS. He says that leaving ANY light on 24 hours for weeks on end WILL start a fire, PERIOD. I tried showing him pics, I even showed him this forum. He still says no. It does not matter what type of bulbs the answer is no...

He also says the ecglow is too expensive. I dont know what to do!

Is getting a new more reasonable fiance out of the question???

 

[schellie69]

I have had my chicks in the coop in their brooder since I got them in April, I used a clamp light with a red heat bulb had it on for a couple of weeks straight and used straw in the brooder no fire. I think he is not realizing that these bulbs are made to be on for hours and days. Good luck if it is warm enough you might be able to just use the light at night. Good luck.

 

[Shikens!]

Quote:
I'm in FL temps here are 70+ everyday. I still don't really feel comfortable not using a heat source.