The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[JeffOeuf]

I used a red heat lamp this past spring. The chicks calmed down when the room lights were turned out and only the heat lamp was on. I think it is a wave length they can't see or can't see well, sort of like UV for humans. My coop is relatively close to my dusk to dawn yard light, which is a red sodium light, and they don't seem to notice it at all.

The problem with radiant heat is that it is designed to work from below, when chicks are expecting heat from above. Like someone mentioned about a radiant heater, you would have to have the tape so close overhead that it would be right on top of the chicks.

 

[aoxa]

It is usually installed between floor joists. or DH said he is going to build me one for net year, but I need to get a job before he will do it. Or I need to have a huge hatch out early spring and cover the excessive expenses I made this year. I spent $300.00 over my yearly budget for the chickens when we put up the fence. I did not sell my birds at the fair at the last hatch out, I sold them as chicks because it was too cold and I was loosing them too fast.

Why were you losing them too fast Delisha?

I can't wait to break even

We spent a lot this year on the move. We sold 30 birds at the fair and made $450. Hopefully we can do more this year.

 

[delisha]

Quote: It was way to cold here. I was using two heat lamps and it simply was not enough. The room where the chicks were never got over 20 even with two heat lamps. They refused to leave the lamps, the little chicks would crush together so tight that many of them suffocated. I do not have a good set up for cold weather below freezing and new chicks.

 

[delisha]

It is pretty good here for sales at the fair. I can sell 100 birds on a Saturday and be home by 3.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I used a red heat lamp this past spring. The chicks calmed down when the room lights were turned out and only the heat lamp was on. I think it is a wave length they can't see or can't see well, sort of like UV for humans. My coop is relatively close to my dusk to dawn yard light, which is a red sodium light, and they don't seem to notice it at all.

The problem with radiant heat is that it is designed to work from below, when chicks are expecting heat from above. Like someone mentioned about a radiant heater, you would have to have the tape so close overhead that it would be right on top of the chicks.

Good point, Jeff. I remember folks saying they were having problems with heat coming from the floor and not above when they were using the heated pet mats. Both you and Fred have said you use the red lights with success so that's probably what I'll go with. So far I haven't seen a better alternative. But I WILL continue to experiment with the ceramic heat emitter.

One of the things that gives me pause about the ceramic emitters - even if I can get them to work - is that there is absolutely no indicator that it is running except for getting near enough to it to feel the heat. I like the idea of being able to glance in and seeing if there is a problem. I guess the red light takes care of that too!

BEST CASE SCENARIO: use a broody! Hope I have that pleasure more times than not

 

[aoxa]

It was way to cold here. I was using two heat lamps and it simply was not enough. The room where the chicks were never got over 20 even with two heat lamps. They refused to leave the lamps, the little chicks would crush together so tight that many of them suffocated. I do not have a good set up for cold weather below freezing and new chicks.

That must have been awful! Last winter we had them out in pretty cold temperatures and had two heat lamps but didn't lose a single one. I did lose a few this fall. The ones I lost were broody raised. The mother was moved by my chicken sitter - and the mom never went back to them. Two died that way, and have lost two more who escaped the pen and couldn't get back in and were chilled that way.

Though I had a hatch there in August that I lost a whole lot of chicks. They kept flipping over and getting trampled. It was the worst hatch I've ever had. They kept dying off. I probably lost 50% of that hatch, if not more. Started out with 26 of them. Now I have around 10.

This was all before FF. Haven't lost a single chick since the FF was introduced.

 

[delisha]

Quote: These chicks were an order of Cornish X's. Cornish X's are not good in heat or cold. I was simply not prepared for freezing temps and single digits.

 

[aoxa]

These chicks were an order of Cornish X's. Cornish X's are not good in heat or cold. I was simply not prepared for freezing temps and single digits.

What are you doing with the ones hatching in January?

 

[delisha]

Quote: I set up a broody in the basement. I am not crazy about the idea of having chickens in the house, however it is the only option I have. These are not Cornish so it will be OK. I probably can keep them down there for months and there will not outgrow it. The Cornish would outgrow it in a few weeks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/radiant-heating

My that does look expensive.