Radiant heat versus heat lamp in brooder

[AwesomeFacer]

One more question before I begin constructing my brooder(s):

Has anyone any experience using radiant heat instead of heat lamps for the chicks? How much of a problem does 24 hour/ day light cause baby chicks?

I ask because I had read that 24 hour/day light causes chicks to go a little bit nuts, and that it increases the likelihood that they will peck at each other. Is that true? Does a red lamp pretty much solve that problem?

My fella, an engineering student, seems to think that building a brooder with a radiant heat source (like from a ceramic space heater) will be more humane to the chicks than flooding them with 24 hour/ day light. I was thinking about moving from white to red lights in the evening, and only if pecking became an issue. Can you please weigh in?

Thanks!

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I don't know about the radiant heat source, but I do know that red light does not seem to be a problem. I would also wonder if the chicks would have a cool side of the brooder with radiant heat and would you be able to reduce the heat as they grow?

 

[AwesomeFacer]

Yay Chicks! :

I would also wonder if the chicks would have a cool side of the brooder with radiant heat and would you be able to reduce the heat as they grow?

He's into electrical engineering, so he's planning to rig a thermostat to the radiant heater so that it automatically controls the temperature in the brooders. I don't know how exactly, but that's his plan. I just want to make sure that there isn't another purpose that the lamp serves that a radiant heater will interfere with...​

 

[debid]

There are radiant heat panels that are ready to use (like the Sweeter Heater) unless he's determined to invent something.

Lights are the most common choice because they're a low-cost solution, not because they're superior in performance to the alternatives.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Well, as an electrical engineer he may just feel compelled to invent something, but really people sometimes make things more complicated than they need to be.

The important thing about brooding chicks is to give them enough space so they can find their own comfort zone. They'll take care of it from there.

This is what one should look for:

You can use a white light or a red, whatever your preference is. Unless it's so cold that I feel the need for a big 250w red IR light I don't use anything but white. Typically a 125w frosted brooder light because they are very durable.

Feather picking is more of a problem of overcrowding than anything else in my opinion. Using a red light can help to alleviate that if it happens, but better still is to give them more space. I brood my birds in my in an open bay of my workshop so I like a white light because I can tell at a glance from a distance if the light is on. My chicks don't go nuts and don't pick each others feathers off unless I've left them in the brooder so long that they're going crazy from overcrowding. Only did that ONCE. The last week or so before I take them of the brooder I turn the lights off at night to accustom them to natural day/night cycles. At least some of them are roosting by that point so the rest pick it up fairly quickly once they go into the grow-out pens.

 

[hippiechick53]

I have a Brinsea ecoglow which uses radiant heat. My chicks love it and I feel it is safer than the light bulb which I have used in the past. With the Brinsea I just plug it in and never worry about temps, the chicks are under it when cold and out when hot, just like it was mama

 

[PrettyCoy]

I am going to use the Brinsea Ecoglow, it works similar to radiant heat but it doesn't actually radiate down from what I've read, the chickens have to make actual contact with the heating element. I'm using it because it seems more natural than using a heat light, less of a fire hazard and uses less electricity.

 

[susannemw]

I LOVE my sweeter heater radiant heater. The chicks loved it too - an 11x16 warm hiding space - very easy to regulate temps with raising and lowering. Would recommend it to anyone!

 

[mdbokc]

Mine love the heating pad set just below the shavings. I set it on low.

ETA- I use lamps as well.

 

[IlliniPatT]

Both a light bulb and a ceramic bulb warm by radiant heat. There are three type of heat transfer radiant, convection-think a fan, or conduction- think direct contact. Anyway I think what you're asking is does the presence or absence of light matter? I know people debate that. If you plan to rig up a thermostat though the bulb will go off and on. With ceramic that just means heat but with a bulb the light will go off and On. I don't know how chickens feel about that but some animals have a problem with that. Ceramic bulbs are more expensive but last longer. All things being equal I would go ceramic>red light>white light

Fwiw
Pat