The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I never brood under a heat lamp just a 40 watt bulb and chicks don't think they should be under it for more than a week lol

I use a 125 and am unplugging it during the day after a week. I wait until May and June to brood. How warm does a 40 watt heat to?

 

[ShrekDawg]

I'm wondering how many people, who follow this thread, think heat lamps are bad. I often brood too many to fit under a heat plate. I do read some saying how terrible heat lamps are, but in my experience if used correctly they are just fine. I haven't noticed any behavioral problems from them as I read some people say, I find brooder size, too much heat, and not moving them out quickly to be more troubles. I've used heat lamps for over 20 years. Just curious what others think and do.

I just brooded 30 chicks under a heat lamp. They were in the brooder box for 2 1/2 weeks, and now have access to the full pen (about 6x8). In a couple of weeks, we'll build a panic door for them to start integrating with the hens. I still have the lamp out there as they are not fully feathered, and it's still getting cool at night. When it's warm and sunny I unplug the light, today when it was cool and rainy, the lamp got left plugged in. Heat lamps vs. heat plates are, in my opinion, just two different ways to brood chicks. I don't know that either is all right or all wrong - just like many other aspects of chicken keeping. Every different way has its pros and cons...

Thank you, my thoughts as well, I have just noticed a strong push towards heating pads and plates and was curious. I brood mine very similar to you. Of course I'm always very curious how everyone else does things, and enjoy learning new stuff. I haven't tried using a plate, though I was looking at them. I have a whole routine worked out that I trust with a heat lamp.

I never brood under a heat lamp just a 40 watt bulb and chicks don't think they should be under it for more than a week lol

I don't really necessarily think one is "bad" but I found Blooie's Mama Heating Pad thread righr before I got my chicks and it just made more sense to me and seemed much more natural. I mean, broody raised chicks don't have a light and heat glaring on them 24/7, ya know? Heck, they even tried heat lamps first and liked this better and made the thread. Plus with the risk of fire, heat lamps make me nervous. But like I said above, I don't necessarily think heat lamps are bad and done right it can be fine but in my opinion, I prefer the heatng pad. And I think I would prefer the pad cave or a makeshift heat plate made with a pad to buying a heat plate since usually it's cheaper and more cozy. Though some of the plates are similar priced or easier to clean, gotta look around. Anyway, I personally think the MHP or plate is more natural because they have day night cycles and regulate their own heat like a broody would but there are good and bad ways to do both. For example, raised indoors in a Rubbermaid box with a lamp glaring over them, cooking them, I don't think is a good way to do it BUT even with MHP, that same box is too small. And some people make the caves too high. So there's good and bad for both. I think in a bigger brooder space where they could actually have a choice to be under the lamp or not instead of heating the whole little box then it would be more ideal.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I started out with heat lamps but after using a heat plate, I'll never go back to a lamp again.

The reasons I like the plate or pad are typical.

One of the reasons I like them is that They have a normal day/night cycle which seems like it is more healthy and natural. Under the lamp you see chicks going and going at all hours of the night then they just "collapse" wherever they are out of exhaustion. With the plate, the sun goes down and they go to sleep. The sun comes up and they get up. They run under the "pseudo-mamma" when they are cold and come out when they choose. I notice that during the day they are out from under the heat most of the time rather than being subjected to heat all the time.

When I brought these babies home, I purposely set the room they were in as cold as I could get it. That was about 49-50F. They spent very little time under the heat.

When I had a broody that hatched eggs in temperatures in the teens, those babies were out running around much more than I thought they'd be. When they got cold they'd start chirping lout and mamma would drop and under they'd go for a quick warm-up...then out again in no time at all. They sure blew to pieces the idea that they needed to be kept at 95 degrees all the time for the first week!

I think this helps them to acclimate on their own time table.



If all I had was a heat lamp, I'd use it. But my experience is that this sure beats the 24 hour lamp and heat they can't escape.


Edited to add: I also like the idea of the "comfort" for them of being able to go under something like they would a mamma rather than always being exposed and open.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I use a 125 and am unplugging it during the day after a week. I wait until May and June to brood. How warm does a 40 watt heat to?

Oh and since I just saw this after I posted my post, I should add that when I think heat lamp I think 250 watt red bulb and I think that's what most of the posts against it are referring too. Especially when done in a rubnermaid tote or cardboard box as i described

 

[ShrekDawg]

I started out with heat lamps but after using a heat plate, I'll never go back to a lamp again. 

The reasons I like the plate or pad are typical. 

One of the reasons I like them is that They have a normal day/night cycle which seems like it is more healthy and natural.  Under the lamp you see chicks going and going at all hours of the night then they just "collapse" wherever they are out of exhaustion.  With the plate, the sun goes down and they go to sleep.  The sun comes up and they get up.  They run under the "pseudo-mamma" when they are cold and come out when they choose.  I notice that during the day they are out from under the heat most of the time rather than being subjected to heat all the time.

When I brought these babies home, I purposely set the room they were in as cold as I could get it.  That was about 49-50F.  They spent very little time under the heat.

When I had a broody that hatched eggs in temperatures in the teens, those babies were out running around much more than I thought they'd be.  When they got cold they'd start chirping lout and mamma would drop and under they'd go for a quick warm-up...then out again in no time at all.  They sure blew to pieces the idea that they needed to be kept at 95 degrees all the time for the first week!

I think this helps them to acclimate on their own time table.



If all I had was a heat lamp, I'd use it.  But my experience is that this sure beats the 24 hour lamp and heat they can't escape.

These are the same reasons I used mine I had even bought a bulb in advance but then I found the MHP thread

 

[Leahs Mom]

PS: My heat plate is 22 watts. It is likely that it paid for itself the first time I used it in electricity savings. And I never worry about fire from a fallen or broken light bulb.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

PS:  My heat plate is 22 watts.  It is likely that it paid for itself the first time I used it in electricity savings.  And I never worry about fire from a fallen or broken light bulb.

Do you have an official brooding plate. The ones I was looking at was flat and meant to be screwed to a wall I think. How many do you use to brood 10-25 chicks?

 

[Leahs Mom]

My heat plate is small...wish I had gotten a larger one. You can see it in that photo that I posted earlier....back left corner, chick standing on top of it . Mine is only 12x12. I think you could only have 10-12 new hatched chicks but this one is certainly not large enough for that many as they grow. It all depends on time of year you brood and how cold it where you are brooding. Of course they need the heat longer when it's very cold, but if it was reasonable temp outside they'd not need it as long and it could accommodate more in that sense.

They do make these larger; I just didn't know how much I'd use a larger one. Got it from Premier - better price than the ecoglow. But I do use a lamp dimmer cord with mine as it is too hot on the normal heat setting. They were made to have a temperature controller (similar to a lamp dimmer cord). These were made in Holland and they sell the controller cord for whatever their electricity is but have not made them for US electricity yet. I find the lamp dimmer cord works well.

These are not made to "heat the space" under them. They are made in such a way that the chicks push up against them to warm themselves as under a mamma. I do find they radiate some heat downward, however. You set them at the height of the chick's back. I always put my back legs a little lower than the front legs so that they can still go under but have some variation of height. Not sure if you can tell that from the photo.



Here's a link https://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=135875&criteria=heat+plate






I made a heat pad one as it is very long - 24". I'm going to use that with the meat birds that I'll get by the dozen or so. Haven't used it yet as I don't have the meaties yet.


(Edited to fix a couple spelling errors)

 

[Leahs Mom]

Oh...and these Premier heat plates are very easy to adjust in height.

They do have a larger one and I would have considered purchasing one for the larger number for brooding but they are backordered and I didn't want to wait. Since I've never used the heat pad I have no experience with it. However, I'd like to add, that I prefer the heat plate as they are made for that use and I admit I feel safer using something that is made for the purpose I'm using it.


(I know there are lots of folks use the heating pads with success....I just like a little caution when "re-purposing" electrical items.)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I remember a few years back where I thought heating pads were catching fire and also burning people, that's why they redesigned them to shut off after being on for so much time. But I could be remembering wrong, that's wouldn't be unusual, so that repurposing freaks me out a bit too.

Last summer I went to plug in an older box fan, and after plugging it in, the cord sparked where it went into the case and the cord blew off. I was shocked and had a small burn hole in my rug. I learned my newest lesson, replace electric stuff occasionally and don't use it to the end. The cord had weakened from being bent back and forth over the years. I hadn't wanted to throw it out because it still worked. It has nothing to do with brooding chicks, but does have to do with always check your electrical wires over good each year no matter what you use, from heat lamp to heat plate or even toasters.

I may look more into the plates. I did see your brooder set up and forgot I saw that.

I learned long ago to brood when it's warmer, it's better all around for what I do. Thanks again for sharing you guys are always giving me ideas I didn't think about.