Who else is using ceramic heat emitters?

[Stephine]

Since I just talked about how much I like those for the heat source in a brooder in a post that is asking why not nore people use the Ohio brooders...
Who has used ceramic heat emitters in the brooder and do you see ANY downside to them? I love mine - All the conveniences of a heat lamp without the light that keeps them up and getting their feed and water dirty all night...
I know the moma hen pad is all the rage, but I find the heat emitters just so easy to use....

 

[lazy gardener]

 

[PachecoPeeps]

I used both the heat plate and ceramic heat emitter this year and I loved both compared to the red lamp. I do prefer the plate more but we ended up with an age gap in chicks and I didn't want to spend the money on a second one so we tried the ceramic instead. I liked that the ceramic was less hot and didn't provide light so the chicks could be on a more normal day/nigh cycle. The ceramic was also pretty cheap on amazon.

 

[paneubert]

I use ceramic heat emitters. Here is one downside.......you can't see if they are on. Last autumn I took one off my brooder that I had screwed into one of those black metal "bell shaped" reptile hanging fixtures. Thought I turned it off. Guess I didn't and didn't unplug it either. Days/weeks later I discovered it had been on the entire time and had almost burned a circular hole in a carpet in my garage that I had it sitting on. Luckily the carpet was thin and this was on concrete. So the floor was able to take the heat and not burn down my house.....but now my garage carpet has a nice round yellow/white circle in an otherwise colorful carpet.....

 

[Stephine]

I use ceramic heat emitters. Here is one downside.......you can't see if they are on. Last autumn I took one off my brooder that I had screwed into one of those black metal "bell shaped" reptile hanging fixtures. Thought I turned it off. Guess I didn't and didn't unplug it either. Days/weeks later I discovered it had been on the entire time and had almost burned a circular hole in a carpet in my garage that I had it sitting on. Luckily the carpet was thin and this was on concrete. So the floor was able to take the heat and not burn down my house.....but now my garage carpet has a nice round yellow/white circle in an otherwise colorful carpet.....

Oh, ouch! So glad you didn’t start a fire!!! Yes, that is one downside compared to heat lamps - I worried a bit about the opposite and initially checked a few times to make sure they were really on. But I guess you have the same issue with heat plates etc...
One more plus: it was easier for me to find a lower powered emitter than a red lamp, those mostly come in the 250W version which is complete overkill in most situations... Also, the ceramic emitters are sturdier than most heat lamps ...

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I'm trying one but a tiny bit disappointed. At 14" from the brooder floor in my cool spare bedroom I can't get past 79°f. I have a 150watt version.

 

[Stephine]

I'm trying one but a tiny bit disappointed. At 14" from the brooder floor in my cool spare bedroom I can't get past 79°f. I have a 150watt version.

That is odd - do you have the thermometer right under it on the bedding? Are you using it in a reflector lamp (like the one for a regular heat lamp bulb). I think mine are around that wattage and I never had trouble with it not getting warm enough. How long has it been on? They need a little bit to warm up.
Ok, I just looked, mine are the flouron 200W emitters, so they are a higher wattage than yours, BUT I always had to put them up higher than 14 inches. How cold is the room they are in? I always had chicks in April or May, in our living area, so it was about 67 during the day and maybe 58 during the night... not that cold...

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Yes the thermometer is right under it on the floor. I have it right in a typical heat lamp fixture. I let it run for run for an hour. I think it's the room temp, I keep it cool in there, maybe 63. I'll have to consider what to adjust. And watch for the stronger ones you have!

 

[Stephine]

Yes the thermometer is right under it on the floor. I have it right in a typical heat lamp fixture. I let it run for run for an hour. I think it's the room temp, I keep it cool in there, maybe 63. I'll have to consider what to adjust. And watch for the stronger ones you have!

Hmmm. 63 is not that cold!
Do you have the chicks already?
I think the 95, 90 degree recommendations are too warm for most chicks, so maybe they will be just fine, but you want to of course have a backup... Yes, maybe you’ll just have to get one with a higher wattage...