Heat lamp fire prevention.

[Mflood]

I'm getting baby chicks in about a week. I plan to use a plastic tub brooder...homemade. I'm scared of the heat lamp. Will it set the pine shavings on fire? What about my house? I have 7 kids and I do not want a fire!! The local co-op sold me the lamp and 250 watt. flood bulb. Can I use just a regular 100 watt light bulb in this lamp instead? Any other options? I'm just sort of scared. Thanks.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Just be sure to place the heat lamp far enough away from the shavings and anything else flammable. But you may consider a ecoglow chick brooder. These are very helpful and don't cause fire hazards.

http://www.brinsea.com/prod-ecoglow_chick_brooder-239.aspx
https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/ecoglow-20-chick-brooder

 

[ChickenLegs13]

You can heat up a whole barn with 250w. I use a 60w about 6-8 inches from the floor of the brooder.

 

[JeanR]

I would NEVER NEVER NEVER use a Heat Lamp for my chickens, chicks ! Depending upon number of chicks, a 60W, 75W, at most a 100W can do the job safely! AND use a thermometer on the floor of the chick pen, not more than 95 degrees=and fix the height solidly. If you have MANY chicks, 2 reflectors and lights of the lower W, will be safer and more comfortable for the chicks! Raise the light to lower the temperature about 5 degrees each week, until the chicks are well feathered and temperature outside can be comfortable for them.
Heat lamps focus HEAT directly below and it can be ghastly HOT, Every season, coops, barns, and owners homes are burned because of unregulated HEAT LAMPS. Take care and good luck.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

In my case 1 light works for up to 20 chickens or 50 quail. More than that and I use 2 lights. I've never used a thermometer in a brooder. I go by how the chicks are piling up or spreading out.

 

[JackE]

If you are going to use a heatlamp, DO NOT trust the clamp to hold the lamp safely and securely. I use bailing wire to hang my brooder's lamp. I have a screw eye screwed into a floor joist of the floor above. With the bailing wire, the lamp will stay where you want it. And you can easily raise or lower the lamp as needed. Don't trust the clamp on a heatlamp.