Alternative to heat lamp for large flock

[mamasnowwolf]

Hi all,
We have 20 chicks we got 3 weeks ago. They are in the basement in a water trough with water, food, bedding and a heat lamp. Last night, we got a scare when some paper was blown under the heat lamp and was smoldering. Thankfully we were able to attend to this before a fire happened, no chicks were injured, no fire started. We are looking at an alternative to heat lamps for such a large flock. We have a flat panel heater for our coop to help keep our 5 adult birds warm on the cold winter nights. It seems to work for them, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with this keeping a bunch of chicks warm. They still pile up under the lamp when sleeping, but are out the rest of the time climbing on the roosts, eating, drinking and playing chase. Our basement runs 65 pretty much all the time, the temps inside the brooder is around 90. I'm not opposed to throwing a blanket over the brooder to help keep heat in if we do switch to a flat panel heater, but I do wonder how the lack of light may effect the birds. This is our first experience with chicks, so any help at all would be much appreciated.

Would a flat panel heater work just as well for the chicks as the red light?
Is a red light needed? (I read somewhere the red light keeps birds from pecking each other, but that doesn't appear to be true)
What's a better way to keep birds warm that won't start fires?

 

[Chicalina]

Your grown flock don't need a heater for a start. Chickens can handle much lower temps than we can. Just make sure there are no draughts.

Have you looked at wool hens for the chicks? Google them. Great idea!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Our basement runs 65 pretty much all the time, the temps inside the brooder is around 90. I'm not opposed to throwing a blanket over the brooder to help keep heat in if we do switch to a flat panel heater, but I do wonder how the lack of light may effect the birds. This is our first experience with chicks, so any help at all would be much appreciated.

Would a flat panel heater work just as well for the chicks as the red light?
Is a red light needed? (I read somewhere the red light keeps birds from pecking each other, but that doesn't appear to be true)
What's a better way to keep birds warm that won't start fires?

How big is the flat heater? Is there any way to mount it flat to increase the surface area the chicks can use? Do you happen to have a human heating pad without auto shut off?

Do not throw a blanket to hold heat in, chicks need cool space just as much as they need heat.

No a red light is not needed. But if the basement doesn't have decent natural light coming in, you will need artificial light during daylight hours, so the chicks can see.

 

[mamasnowwolf]

No I haven't looked at wool hens. Space is already tight to the point we may have to split the flock or make a larger brooder.

The flat panel heater isn't real big, and yes, we can mount it from above same as we did the red light. It's jus suspended from the ceiling so it's harder to knock over. Though the panel may have to be closer to the chicks which may mean they sit on the back of it as opposed to under it. The box we have is a horse trough so there's lots of cool places for chicks to retreat if they get too warm. Right now they still huddle under the light when they sleep, but run around when awake. I don't have a heating pad, but can get one, never thought of it.

We have also entertained the idea of putting them in the coop. However, the nights here still get below 50 and it's a fairly large coop. It may be difficult to keep them warm at night. They don't get a lot of light during the day, but we do keep a light on during the day so they can get use to the cycle of sun. I'll just be glad when the little ones are fully feathered and out of the house.

 

[aart]

20 chicks at 3 weeks under a heat lamp in a trough is probably too much.
Are you using a 250W heat bulb?
Might think about a lower wattage bulb:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-chick-heat-blurb.75619/
Heating pad might not be enough space for 20 chicks.

However, the nights here still get below 50 and it's a fairly large coop.

They only need one warm place...for sleeping.
Do you have power to the coop?

 

[Ridgerunner]

At 3 weeks they can probably handle 65 F without extra heat. They like to sleep in warmer areas but that doesn't necessarily mean they have to have the heat. Since that basement stays a consistent 65, try turning the heat off when you can check on them regularly and see how they react. If they are not used to dark they may react to that, so don't confuse a reaction to dark as a reaction to lack of heat. Sometimes simple solutions work. Your best guide to what your chickens need as far as heat is to watch them. Trust what you see.

My 3' x 6' brooder is in the coop. I typically have broods or around 20 chicks and use a heat lamp as a heat source. I'm set up for that, both for integration and fire safety. That may not be that easy for you to do quickly. To me a key part of heat lamp safety is to not use that clamp but use wire or chain to support it so that it cannot fall. No string or plastic that can burn or melt, no clamp that can get knocked loose, but wire or chain. But yeah, keeping flying paper away from it is pretty important too.

One suggestion to more safely provide heat to a larger group of chicks is to Google "Ohio Hover Brooder". It's basically a shallow box hanging up-side-down. Since hot air rises it traps warm air at their level. The designs you'll see are meant for a lot more chicks than you have so you can maybe cut the size back. It won't take much of a heat source to keep it warm, you don't want it to get that hot anyway. If you try something like this don't be surprised if they soon start sleeping on top of it instead of under it. They really don't need as much heat as many people think.

 

[Chicalina]

Can't remember if I linked to this before?

Thread 'Wool hen or wool and feather hen build' https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wool-hen-or-wool-and-feather-hen-build.1463487/