The Dangers of Using a Heat Lamp for Your Chickens
The Dangers of Using a Heat Lamp for Your Chickens
Using a heat lamp for your chickens is dangerous. Period. Every year I read story after story about fires being caused by heat lamps. When we first started our journey of raising backyard chickens, we naively used a heat lamp in our chick brooder – not once, but twice!
*Facepalm*
Looking back, I realize how lucky we were that there were no disasters.
If you’re raising baby chickens in a brooder, then you will absolutely need supplemental heat for them as new chicks are unable to regulate their body temperatures. A newly hatched chick has a body temperature of about 103.5°F (39.7°C) and their body temperature will increase daily until it reaches a stable level at about three weeks old. Until they are about six weeks of age, they will rely on the mother hen to keep them warm. As they grow, chicks gradually require less time beneath her and will spend less and less time under her.
When I was doing my research on how to raise baby chicks, I read over and over that the recommended practice is to maintain the brooder temperature at 90-95°F during the first week and reduce it by 5°F each subsequent week. However, based on my own experience and the way my mother hens care for their chicks, this level of warmth is excessive. Just another reason why heat lamps are not good for our feathered friends.
What About Adult Chickens During the Winter?
Usually, I tell people that chickens don’t need supplemental heat during winter weather. Chickens are naturally able to regulate their body temperature, making them well-suited to handle cold weather conditions.
Nevertheless, I acknowledge that there are instances when it becomes necessary to give extra heat to your backyard chickens. If you observe any indications of discomfort, such as shivering, lethargy, or frostbite, you should consider the possibility of providing warmth for your feathered companions. We’ll discuss alternative heat methods in a bit.
Others use heat lamps to keep their chickens’ water from freezing during cold temperatures. This is still very dangerous and very unnecessary. There are many safe alternatives to keep your chickens’ water from freezing. Read my Easy Ways to Keep Your Chickens Water from Freezing to learn more.
The Dangers of Using a Heat Lamp for Your Chickens
- Fire Hazard
- Poor Design
- Overheating
- Stress and Behavioral Problems
Fire Hazard
The most significant concern with a heat lamp for chickens is that is it a fire risk. One of the most common reasons for heat lamps causing fires is overheating. These lamps generate intense heat, and if they are left on for extended periods or used inappropriately, they can reach high temperatures that may ignite nearby combustible materials like straw, pine shavings, or feathers.
Chickens can kick bedding material, feathers, or even their own droppings onto the heat lamp, which can lead to overheating and combustion. These fires not only endanger your chickens but also endanger your property, potentially resulting in devastating losses.
Poor Design
Looking back, I should have known that heat lamps were dangerous because of the design themselves. The clamps have no real way to be secured to the lamp itself. On two different occasions, I had the lamp fall into the brooder. Luckily, I was right there to get it up, but what if I hadn’t been? The first time, I had the brooder set up in my sunroom, the second time was in my basement. I shudder every time I think about what would have happened if that had fallen in the middle of the night – or any time I wasn’t around for that matter.
Overheating
When brooding chicks get overheated, they get pasty butt. Pasty butt, or pasting up, occurs when a chick’s poo sticks to their vent area, which is the opening through which they eliminate waste. The poo can harden and block the chick’s ability to defecate, which can lead to a variety of health problems or even death if left untreated. To learn more about pasty butt, check out this article.
Heat lamps are not adjustable in terms of temperature control, meaning they emit a consistent and often high level of heat. This can lead to chickens becoming overheated and stressed, which is counterproductive to their well-being. In nature, chickens are adapted to deal with a wide range of temperatures, and using a heat lamp may prevent them from developing their own natural resistance to cold weather.
Stress and Behavioral Problems
Excessive heat and constant red light exposure from a heating lamp can also lead to behavioral issues among chickens. When they become too warm, they may start feather plucking, which can quickly turn into a full-blown feather-pecking problem. Feather plucking can lead to cannibalism within the flock, causing injuries and even death. These behaviors can be a result of the stress and disturbance of their natural light-dark cycle.
Alternate Heat Sources
Now that we’ve discussed the problems associated with heat lamps, let’s explore some safer alternatives for artificial heat for both brooding and during the winter months.
Heat Plates
Heat plates mimic the warmth provided by a mother hen, allowing young chicks to huddle underneath the brooder plate for warmth and venture out when they need to for food and water. They are much safer than heat lamps and are the best way to keep brooding chicks warm.
Heating Panel
As the baby chicks grow and start to get better at regulating their body heat, I like to transition to a flat panel heater. Heat panels only warm a small area around them, making them safe to touch without the risk of burns. I often place small perches nearby, allowing the baby chicks the chance to roost comfortably while staying cozy.
Regarding using a heating panel in the coop, my Silkie chickens don’t go into the chicken coop at night like the rest of my flock. Silkies don’t roost, so to accommodate their unique needs, I’ve set up a doghouse within the chicken run where they sleep. During our harsh Wisconsin winters, we can get extreme temperatures that drop and stay as low as -25°F (-31°C). During these stretches, I put my panel heater in their doghouse to ensure they stay warm in these colder months.
Heating Pad
A chicken heating pad could be used in the chicken coop or run, but I wouldn’t recommend using it in a brooder. You could leave these inside your run or mount them in your coop for the chickens to go near if they do end up needing any extra heat.
Insulated Coop and Run
Properly insulate your chicken coop and run to retain heat and prevent drafts. Adequate insulation and sealing cracks can significantly reduce the need for supplemental heat. To learn more on this check out my article How to Winterize Your Chicken Coop and Run.
Deep Bedding
Providing deep bedding, like wood shavings, in your coop not only keeps chickens comfortable but also insulates them from the cold. We use the deep litter method to keep our chickens warm in the winter. The decomposition of the bedding generates heat, helping to regulate the coop’s temperature. To learn more, check out Best Bedding Options for Chickens in the Winter.
Use Heated Waterers
Providing chickens with unfrozen, fresh water during winter temperatures is essential. If you need heat to keep your chickens’ water from freezing, invest in heated waterers to ensure they always have access to water. If those aren’t an option, or you don’t have a way to run electricity to your coop, learn about other ways to keep your chickens’ water from freezing here.
Natural Sunlight
Allow chickens access to natural sunlight during the day, as it helps them generate their own warmth.
Bottom Line
While it might seem like a good idea to use heat lamps for baby chicks and chickens to keep them warm, the potential dangers and drawbacks strongly outweigh the benefits. Instead of risking fires, overheating, and behavioral issues, consider safer alternatives like heating plates, insulating your coop, providing deep bedding, and using heated waterers.
By choosing these safer, appropriate heat sources, you can keep your chickens warm and healthy while minimizing the risks associated with heat lamps. Your flock will thank you for it, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you’re providing the best care possible.
What questions do you have? Let me know in the comments!
Related Posts:
Backyard Chickens 101: Essential Chicken Supplies
Understanding Pasty Butt in Baby Chicks
Easy Ways to Keep Chicken Water from Freezing
How to Winterize Your Chicken Coop and Run
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These are great tips! Thanks for the helpful reminder on why heat lamps are dangerous. It’s easy to forget when rural feed stores have so many of them displayed prominently!
I know! That is why I bought a heat lamp in the first place. Thanks for the comment. 🙂