Depending on how cold ambient temps are that would not put off much heat in a very big area for 100 hatchlings that sounds like a death by cold or by piling/suffocation situation in cold temps.
Indiana, my Mammaw and them did it every year for like twenty years and never lost any until it was time to butcher. They were also in a draft free barn brooder area. Granted it was all they had and it worked for them.
Like I said it would have to be a warmer time of year with warmer ambient temps and yes it can be done. # of hatchlings also matters as with too small of a heated area they tend to pile up on each other competing for heat actually smothering or injuring others.
That is a good point, that the big 250 watt heat lamp bulbs are not the only kind that can be used for heat. Changing the bulb size is one way to get more or less total heat.
If the brooder plate wants temperatures at least 50 degrees, I would try to keep the air temperature at least 50 degrees in the area with the brooder plate.
I have a CHE on ceramic base that is clipped/zipties to a shovel handle that we have zipties/chained on hooks to raise lower to adjust. We've used CHE for reptiles for years so pretty comfortable with them : ) we only used it outside for our Mama when she hatched 6 Dec 1st (Indiana here) for about a month in outside brooder (somewhere in my content I have the set up)
