Safely Heating CX Chicks

[Creede]

Does anyone have experience with heat supplement that isn't a bulb waiting to burst in flames?

I use the radiant heat plates for my eggers. However, this is usually a significantly lower quantity of birds (4-10). Has anyone successfully used the Sweeter Heaters for CX chicks? I plan on raising 25 this first go round. Before investing in something expensive, I want to know if it will support that many chicks until they are fully feathered. Would be nice to know if it could support up to 50 as well. Sizes come in 11"x16" for $121, 11"x30" for $160 and 11"x40" for $175. That's pricey, but if the one heater does the job well, I'm willing to invest. Reviews are limited. Forums always mention lamps and bulbs...

I'll check my birds at least twice a day, but I want to be able to go to work and not worry if my shop is catching on fire.

 

[debid]

Honestly, a batch of 25 meaties is the occasion when I would use a bulb and I am an avid heat plate fan. I'd just use a quality bulb in a quality fixture and secure the ever loving crap out of it. Not that they are going to be so likely to try and fly up to perch on it... But out in an enclosure away from other structures so if the worst happens, it's only that structure getting torched. My 2 cents, knock together a simple enclosure and make it as minimal as possible, no need to ruin a building you use for other things housing the little poop machines.

 

[Creede]

Honestly, a batch of 25 meaties is the occasion when I would use a bulb and I am an avid heat plate fan. I'd just use a quality bulb in a quality fixture and secure the ever loving crap out of it.

Not what I wanted to hear, lol. Do you have recommendations on bulbs and fixtures? Currently brainstorming on a different brooding area now...

 

[debid]

Not what I wanted to hear, lol. Do you have recommendations on bulbs and fixtures? Currently brainstorming on a different brooding area now...

The only bulbs I ever trusted are the hard,. dimpled glass kind. Mine are Phillips with the red lens. The fixture has a ceramic socket and an aluminum surround with safety wires over the face so if it were to fall, the wires prevent the bulb making direct contact with bedding.

 

[FunClucks]

CX grow SUPER fast. Like 2-3 x as fast as eggers. I looked at using a heat plate, but went with a bulb because of the challenge of adjusting the heat plate properly for them as they grew. The heat lamp covers more area, is easier to adjust (on one chain/wire, so simple up and down as opposed to moving feet), and you only need it for about 4 weeks. Also it helps dry out their droppings in the area they like to sleep (below the heat lamp), which are 3x as wet as egger droppings - helps prevent disease in between shavings changes. I've had to adjust the heat lamp daily for day/night temperatures when we get random cold spells. With a heat plate, there would be that plus height as the chicks grow. I don't want to get such a large facefull of CX and their poop so often. I wear a respirator to clean out the brooder every day/ every other day, and take a full shower after, didn't want to quadruple my work there.

I double secure things, wire them up using the actual handle of the lamp, not using the clamps which can fail, and have a secondary method as well. Also check with meat thermometer every area of the brooder to make sure temps are appropriate for brooder materials as well as chicks.