Texas

[showbarnmom]

I'm looking into one of those. Has anyone used one in an outdoor brooder? I do not have brooders in the house, and have one had my broody hen hatch. Now I have an incubator and an outdoor brooder.

 

[bnjrob]

I'm looking into one of those. Has anyone used one in an outdoor brooder? I do not have brooders in the house, and have one had my broody hen hatch. Now I have an incubator and an outdoor brooder.

The radiant heaters? I know of someone that uses the Sweeter Heater brand in their brooders outside of the house. The air around the heaters has to be something like 50 degrees or higher for best results.

 

[Brookshire11]

Personally I find most heat lamps to be unsafe - they are unwieldy and often "flop" over and lay on things.  Which is how fires usually start.

If funds are limited and you are just going to get a regular reflective metal heat lamp, make sure that you get one that has the ceramic plug-in base.  Ones that you get at the hardware store and some feed stores often have a plastic base to screw the bulb into - plastic base is even huger fire hazard.

For a heat lamp, my favorite one for safety is the one from Premier 1 Supplies:
   http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=18266&criteria=heat+lamp 

And of course don't get the Teflon coated heat lamp bulbs due to the fumes it puts out that kills birds, including chickens.

Personally for chick raising, now I only use a heat lamp in a pinch.  I've found a radiant heat warmer to be much better.  Safer than a heat lamp, it mimics Momma Hen and the chicks can hide under it when they are cold or sleepy, but otherwise they run around like they would normally if they were living with Momma in the barn.  It does not heat up everything in the brooder or the room which is a big plus because it is easy to get chicks too hot.  Once I started using one, I noticed that the chicks feather out faster and do better overall. I've got chicks right now that are in a room of the house that has been hanging out at 61 degrees.  They are running around in the brooder most of the time - the radiant heater really gets them acclimated to lower temps a lot faster than all that baloney of "95 degrees and decrease the temperature every week by 5 degrees".    Two companies make these types of warmers that I know of, each in different sizes:

http://www.brinsea.com/prod-EcoGlow_Chick_Brooder-239.aspx

http://sweeterheater.com/bizweb.asp

Have fun!

Thanks for the help! I have looked at those EcoGlows..they really look awesome. My thing is im only planning on 4 chicks. We have limited space so I'll just have a tiny flock of layers. I wasnt sure if it would be smart to pay $70 for the Ecoglow for only 4 babies. But if i had more that would absolutely be the way i would go. I used to have bearded dragons and african fat tailed geckos, so im aware of the hazards of a heat lamp, but thanks for the tip about the fumesfrom the bulb! I would have never known.
Appreciate it!

 

[bnjrob]

Thanks for the help! I have looked at those EcoGlows..they really look awesome. My thing is im only planning on 4 chicks. We have limited space so I'll just have a tiny flock of layers. I wasnt sure if it would be smart to pay $70 for the Ecoglow for only 4 babies. But if i had more that would absolutely be the way i would go. I used to have bearded dragons and african fat tailed geckos, so im aware of the hazards of a heat lamp, but thanks for the tip about the fumesfrom the bulb! I would have never known.
Appreciate it!

Small space, only 4 chicks.........

You must have some strong will power! I would recommend you not get on this thread anymore - if you stay on this thread, the enablers will have you building a condo for at least 20 chickens if you aren't careful - LOL.

 

[Brookshire11]

Small space, only 4 chicks.........

You must have some strong will power!  I would recommend you not get on this thread anymore - if you stay on this thread, the enablers will have you building a condo for at least 20 chickens if you aren't careful - LOL.

hahahaha! Ive noticed this...I hope to have more space in a few years, but right now, we make due! Lol
I...over-plan a little, as i'd rather the chickens have too much room (if thats a thing lol) as opposed to being too crowded.
I dont plan on selling eggs or anything, just trying to move us down the road to being a little more self reliant We'll have chickens and a garden this year!
As well as a small medicinal herb garden! Ive gotten my winter fix, ready for it to warm up!

 

[bnjrob]

hahahaha! Ive noticed this...I hope to have more space in a few years, but right now, we make due! Lol
I...over-plan a little, as i'd rather the chickens have too much room (if thats a thing lol) as opposed to being too crowded.
I dont plan on selling eggs or anything, just trying to move us down the road to being a little more self reliant

We'll have chickens and a garden this year!
As well as a small medicinal herb garden! Ive gotten my winter fix, ready for it to warm up!

That's the way to do it, start with a little here and there and keep on going. That's what we do. One step at a time toward being self reliant. We aren't there yet but we are still working on it ourselves one little bit at a time. Glad to hear you are doing the same thing!

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Aw man..i am ready for spring as well!!
Getting stuff for chicks this week! I think we're going to get them this weekend!!! So ready!
For a heat lamp, would it be better to order from amazon or is it fine to pick one up from a feed/pet store? Sorry if thats a silly question

Beekissed told me a regular lightbulb would be ok for chicks kept in the house.

Here is the info from Beekissed:
I've used both the red heat lamp bulbs and regular bulbs and they have the same results, but the plain bulb is easier to regulate on heat than is the heat lamp...not to mention a safer item to work with. With only 4 chicks, a simple light bulb will be all they will need...that way you won't have to buy special equipment. The chicks will sleep just fine with the light on and it won't keep them awake or make them agitated enough to peck one another. Chicks have been brooded for many a long time with just a plain light bulb and inside the house is the perfect place to use them. Now, if your brooder was outside and very large, the red heat lamp type of brooder light would be more needful and useful to keeping them warm.

I've brooded chicks outside in an open air coop in March with 30 degree weather with a heat lamp in a very large brooder but I'd never use one inside the house, no matter how chilly it got there. The ambient temps in a house usually don't dip below 50-60* and the brooder holds the heat of the light/lamp in very well. You can drape a towel over part of the brooder to keep the heat in but be careful of getting them too hot and without good ventilation.

 

[lovingmyhens]

Small space, only 4 chicks.........

You must have some strong will power! I would recommend you not get on this thread anymore - if you stay on this thread, the enablers will have you building a condo for at least 20 chickens if you aren't careful - LOL.

I have only 4 hens, and only a coop big enough for the 4-gonna be a bit tight when they are full size!! But I want so many more because of the people on here and the pics of their lovely hens. The more hens, the more possibility of sickness and weird things happening so that is how I am able to keep my flock to only 4. Plus I live in a residential neighborhood and between the 6 rabbits and 4 hens, it can get a bit smelly. It is taking all will power to keep the flock to 4 though. UGH

 

[Brookshire11]

Beekissed told me a regular lightbulb would be ok for chicks kept in the house. Here is the info from Beekissed:
I've used both the red heat lamp bulbs and regular bulbs and they have the same results, but the plain bulb is easier to regulate on heat than is the heat lamp...not to mention a safer item to work with. With only 4 chicks, a simple light bulb will be all they will need...that way you won't have to buy special equipment. The chicks will sleep just fine with the light on and it won't keep them awake or make them agitated enough to peck one another. Chicks have been brooded for many a long time with just a plain light bulb and inside the house is the perfect place to use them. Now, if your brooder was outside and very large, the red heat lamp type of brooder light would be more needful and useful to keeping them warm.

I've brooded chicks outside in an open air coop in March with 30 degree weather with a heat lamp in a very large brooder but I'd never use one inside the house, no matter how chilly it got there. The ambient temps in a house usually don't dip below 50-60* and the brooder holds the heat of the light/lamp in very well. You can drape a towel over part of the brooder to keep the heat in but be careful of getting them too hot and without good ventilation.

Thank you!

I have only 4 hens, and only a coop big enough for the 4-gonna be a bit tight when they are full size!! But I want so many more because of the people on here and the pics of their lovely hens. The more hens, the more possibility of sickness and weird things happening so that is how I am able to keep my flock to only 4. Plus I live in a residential neighborhood and between the 6 rabbits and 4 hens, it can get a bit smelly. It is taking all will power to keep the flock to 4 though. UGH

Im in a residential area as well... Luckily its an older neighborhood, no HOA, and people are friendly..but I dont want to push my luck lol.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I have only 4 hens, and only a coop big enough for the 4-gonna be a bit tight when they are full size!! But I want so many more because of the people on here and the pics of their lovely hens. The more hens, the more possibility of sickness and weird things happening so that is how I am able to keep my flock to only 4. Plus I live in a residential neighborhood and between the 6 rabbits and 4 hens, it can get a bit smelly. It is taking all will power to keep the flock to 4 though. UGH

I read that using the deep litter method for the coop helps to keep the smell down. Have you tried it?