Unexpected Use

I have one but it has an Auto shut off and I can't stay at home to keep turning it back on every two hours. It's really hard to find one without the auto shut off.
Yep, that'll make it tough to use MHP alright!
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I bought my smaller one at Walmart (a Sunbeam x-press Heat) and my larger one, the exact same brand, I just ordered from Amazon. Well, as others have said, do be careful with the heat lamps, and watch them for overheating. Good luck with them! Wish you the best!
 
Hi,
I did as you did and raised a bunch of chicks in a 50 gallon glass aquarium. It was successful. Everything everyone is telling you is spot on from my experience. I agree about the aquarium being heat sensitive. I did find I needed to play around with proper heat distribution a bit but once I got it right, no problems. Just make sure you leave enough of the wire top open ( that is, uncovered by a towel or something) to let heat out. That was the only problem I had was figuring out how much open wire mesh was needed to let the heat stay stable and not too hot. I do agree when the heat starts to rise in the aquarium that it can get a bit hotter quicker than a plastic tub. As I remember I left about 2/3 of the wire mesh top open for heat to escape. Try using 3/4 of the top as open mesh top and see if that is just right or if you need a little bit less open.
Best,
Karen
Oh and if you are using hardwood chips in the bottom? Get read to change them frequently. I found the stink fact in the glass aquarium was a lot faster than a plastic tub.
 
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I have three setups involving aquariums in my man room which has an ambient temperature in the low 70's F. One each of the following; 75-gal, 40-gal, and a 10-gal. Larger tanks use standard sized heat lamps (red heat bulb) set to one end of tank. Bedding material minimal to control fire risk. What I do that does not appear to have been mentioned is use a small fan positioned above the aquarium that rolls the air removing moisture and excess heat. Chicks then have a thermal gradient more closely tied to light source that they can move along. Feeder is kept roughly in middle of tank and waterer is elevated a little in far end of tank to keep detritus out of it making so water changes needed only daily. Ambient light on timer independent of heat lamp provides light cycle birds largely schedule activity by. Then they sleep through most of night even with heat lamp on.

Setup for smaller tank very different and used for small broods (<4 chicks).

I try to get chicks out by 3 weeks as by that time they can fly out anyway. The aquariums do make taming easier for me as the chicks do not see you pop out of nowhere from above like the predators they are hardwired to watch for.
 

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