Heat lamp or an alternative?

[City girl Philly]

Hello! I I'm about to buy 5 chicks tomorrow. However, I have been struggling with this heat lamp thing. I have read that they are unsafe and could tip over and start fires Etc. I have been Googling like crazy this week trying to find a safer alternative for my very small flock. I'm getting a little overwhelmed! My brooder will be kept indoors in a private room. Can I use a desk lamp with a red bulb maybe? (I am on a budget). Any advice would be appreciated, thank you!

 

[Delaneygraces]

I use heat lamps in an inside room as well! If you are worried about them tipping over, don’t get a stand, but you can get one with a wiring that you can string up, preventing any falls! I’ll add a picture of my brooder when I get home!

 

[Athena2344]

I have never had problems with heatlamps starting fires because i always make sure they are heavily secured in place and and are a safe distance from anything flammable. But if you dont trust yourself/sorroundings, i would pick up a heating pad, it's what i used on my two babies

 

[City girl Philly]

Thank you Delaney.....what do you do at night, or when you go out? I am scared to leave a heat lamp on when I am at work all day.

 

[City girl Philly]

I have never had problems with heatlamps starting fires because i always make sure they are heavily secured in place and and are a safe distance from anything flammable. But if you dont trust yourself/sorroundings, i would pick up a heating pad, it's what i used on my two babies

Thank you! It's not that I don't trust myself, I don't trust leaving heat lamps on when I'm not home. There are a lot of blogs and such saying how unsafe they are. The heating pad idea sounds good to me! I will search a thread on how exactly to set this up properly.

 

[Delaneygraces]

Thank you Delaney.....what do you do at night, or when you go out? I am scared to leave a heat lamp on when I am at work all day.

I keep them on all day/night, and have for years and have never had a problem. The chicks can’t get up/fly high even to chase any threat to the lamp either. I’m not as worried about them at night, since they aren’t as active. During the day, there’s always that little fear they’ll hit it, cause it to unplug and fall, or bust, causing injury to the chicks, or a spark that can cause a flame, but when I don’t feel to save about a batch of active chicks, I place a wire on top , below the lamp, so even if it didn’t fall, it wouldn’t land in the tub.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I prefer natural day night cycles and self regulated heat, so I do not use lamps. I prefer the mama heat pad.

 

[junebuggena]

The biggest issue with using heat lamps inside a home is that they tend to put out way too much heat. Overheating is a frequent problem for first-timers using a full strength heat lamp indoors.
I prefer using a heating pad draped over a piece of wire fencing for brooding small batches of chicks. It simulates a broody hen, giving the chicks a chance to adjust to a normal day/night cycle from the start. And there is no risk of overheating chicks. They get to come and go from the heat as they please. You do need to make sure the heating pad you use does not automatically shut off, though. The best part is that chicks brooded with this method tend to feather in much faster than those raised under lights.

 

[Athena2344]

The biggest issue with using heat lamps inside a home is that they tend to put out way too much heat. Overheating is a frequent problem for first-timers using a full strength heat lamp indoors.
I prefer using a heating pad draped over a piece of wire fencing for brooding small batches of chicks. It simulates a broody hen, giving the chicks a chance to adjust to a normal day/night cycle from the start. And there is no risk of overheating chicks. They get to come and go from the heat as they please. You do need to make sure the heating pad you use does not automatically shut off, though. The best part is that chicks brooded with this method tend to feather in much faster than those raised under lights.

I definantly have to agree, i didn't know about the wire though,but i'll try it out on some goslings hopefully next week. I just put it down on their bedding so they could come lay down on it and snuggle with each other, they are just now coming up on 1 month 3 weeks, and they have been outside for over two weeks and are fully feathered

 

[City girl Philly]

The biggest issue with using heat lamps inside a home is that they tend to put out way too much heat. Overheating is a frequent problem for first-timers using a full strength heat lamp indoors.
I prefer using a heating pad draped over a piece of wire fencing for brooding small batches of chicks. It simulates a broody hen, giving the chicks a chance to adjust to a normal day/night cycle from the start. And there is no risk of overheating chicks. They get to come and go from the heat as they please. You do need to make sure the heating pad you use does not automatically shut off, though. The best part is that chicks brooded with this method tend to feather in much faster than those raised under lights.

Thank you! I have decided to use the heating pad method. Do you know where I could buy a small piece of bendable wire? I was thinking maybe a craft store? Or even Walmart?