heat lamp and plastic tote..

[amjustice]

Today i bought ducklings and i am using a plastic tote that is pretty thick and a heat lamp 250 watt that is attached to it... been on all day and is warm where its hitting the plastic. i am terrified to sleep because i am scared the plastic will melt and hit the shavings and cause a fire.. are they ok for tonight.. definitely will do someting different tomorrow.. the ducks are perfectly comfortable where the lamp is at but im terrified of a fire. please help!!

 

[TattooedChicks]

For the size of the brooder, 250w might be too much depending on the ambient temp around the tote. If you have any lower wattage bulbs to switch out tonight it might let you sleep better.

 

[amjustice]

I dont have any other choice tonight.. Im so afraid

 

[wamtazlady]

I would be afraid of using a heat lamp in such a small container. The chicks need a cooler area to hang out in. They go to the warm area under the lamp to get warmed up, just like they'd do with their mom and then run around where it's cooler to eat and drink. Either get a much larger container or use a much smaller wattage. In fact, you might do as well with a 60 watt light bulb in a shop light. That's what I used my first year with chicks and there were no problems. In a couple weeks you'll have to have a larger container for them anyway. They grow really fast. Do you have a thermometer in there? What is the temperature under the heat lamp? What is the temperature on the other side of your plastic bin? In your picture the chicks look all huddle in the coolest area. If they do that all the time you have too much heat.

 

[amjustice]

In the pic they were eating. they seem comfortable. i am planning on getting a smaller watt tomorrow. i just want to make sure everything will be okay for tonight. i forgot to pick up a thermometer today bc i had to go to work..

I would be afraid of using a heat lamp in such a small container.  The chicks need a cooler area to hang out in.  They go to the warm area under the lamp to get warmed up, just like they'd do with their mom and then run around where it's cooler to eat and drink.  Either get a much larger container or use a much smaller wattage.  In fact, you might do as well with a 60 watt light bulb in a shop light.  That's what I used my first year with chicks and there were no problems.  In a couple weeks you'll have to have a larger container for them anyway.  They grow really fast.  Do you have a thermometer in there?  What is the temperature under the heat lamp?  What is the temperature on the other side of your plastic bin?  In your picture the chicks look all huddle in the coolest area.  If they do that all the time you have too much heat. 

 

[MigraineMan]

We could only find the 250W heat lamps locally. It's too much for our plastic tote ... and the lamp housing (which is only rated for 150W.) I put a 300W halogen-lamp dimmer in-line with the heater, and turned it down to about 1/2 intensity. We are measuring 85F on the "warm" side, and the chicks seem to pass-out about halfway between the warm and cool sides.

We also ran a length of steel picture-hanger wire from the lamp housing to a fixed point above - in this case an adjacent bookcase. I don't want the hot-thing falling into the bucket of tinder. We also took a small length of scrap roof flashing and made a heat shield that prevents incidental contact from the lamp to the plastic bucket.

 

[amjustice]

update: Plastic tote is fine, still only a little warm. Ducks seem perfectly happy. Thanks for all the comments!

they are some poopin machines!!!