# need help buying a Heat lamp



## sev3ns0uls (Jul 2, 2011)

So up here in Minnesota, winter is approaching and i would like the community to suggest a heat lamp for me. I know my old birds will be fine even if the temp drop below zero but i have 2 newly hatched squabs and I'm concerning that they may not have enough body feather when the snow arrive. My loft is a 6 x 6. So does anyone use or know of a heat lamp that can help me here. I would like one that has timer with it so that it can automatically turns off or on when Im not home. Any suggestions are appreciated.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

How about putting one of those oil filled heaters in your loft? That'd what I use.
The heat lamps scare me. I had one cause a fire in a loft I had. At another place, I saw a bird with singed feathers from getting too close to the heat lamp. Lucky the feathers only go singed.


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## sev3ns0uls (Jul 2, 2011)

Charis said:


> How about putting one of those oil filled heaters in your loft? That'd what I use.
> The heat lamps scare me. I had one cause a fire in a loft I had. At another place, I saw a bird with singed feathers from getting too close to the heat lamp. Lucky the feathers only go singed.


thanks that is a very good advise. I was thinking about that too but by using an oil filled heater 20 hours a day may eat up a lot more power then a heat light. 
So I just did some research and a light bulb 150-200watt should be okay for my loft size with a digital timer that would turn on for 12 hours during the day than turns off and than on for 8 hours during the night time. I planning on getting one of those red light bulb that would not mess up their breeding cycle and wont cause them to be active. Ill hang it up as high as possible so the birds wont get close to it.

so this is what i planned so far

light timer
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040718V4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

clamp light
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0061MZ4Q6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

and probably this light bulb 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YHSBQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

any suggestion?


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## RockPigeon<3er (Aug 2, 2012)

sev3ns0uls said:


> thanks that is a very good advise. I was thinking about that too but by using an oil filled heater 20 hours a day may eat up a lot more power then a heat light.
> So I just did some research and a light bulb 150-200watt should be okay for my loft size with a digital timer that would turn on for 12 hours during the day than turns off and than on for 8 hours during the night time. I planning on getting one of those red light bulb that would not mess up their breeding cycle and wont cause them to be active. Ill hang it up as high as possible so the birds wont get close to it.
> 
> so this is what i planned so far
> ...


Sounds like you did your research  Yup, red lamp good, the clamp is typical, the watt seems OK. Best of luck, we use heat lamps a lot here.


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

If you put it on a timer when the lamp is off the temp. will drop . thus defecting the purpose of having the lamp


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

I would hard fix the lamp in. I have seen birds , cats , and dogs knock them over as the clamp is only good if nothing is moving around them. They pop open real easy. They work great for getting things warmed up. But they can be a hazzard around bedding.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

I wouldn't use a bulb or heat lamp...there not safe.
This is the safest thing to use if your not going to use an oil filled heater.








I screws in just like a light bulb and you can hang it right in the nest box. They come in different size/wattage's.
I had a really good picture of the one I had mounted in one of my fantail's nestbox..........but seeing as 'webshots' is closing down, I can't copy any of my pictures!! 
I put mine in one of those 'clip lamps', and mounted over the babies. It emits heat but no light


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

That is a great idea as they dont break as easily as light bulbs.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

tjc1 said:


> That is a great idea as they dont break as easily as light bulbs.


They don't 'shatter' like a bulb or heat lamp........very safe in cold weather 
I had 2 'oops' baby fantails in the dead of winter and it kept them toasty!


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

They break more like a plate. There is a metal coil inside that is the heat source and the ceramic disperses the heat. Definitely ALOT safer but still can start a fire if it falls and breaks. And still can burn if an animal hits it. But any electical appliance can start a fire if it malfunctions


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

tjc1 said:


> They break more like a plate. There is a metal coil inside that is the heat source and the ceramic disperses the heat. Definitely ALOT safer but still can start a fire if it falls and breaks. And still can burn if an animal hits it. But any electical appliance can start a fire if it malfunctions


Yes I know....heat sources always scare me 
What I mean though, is that it doesn't 'explode' in the socket like some heat lamps do


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Agreeing with you Msfreebird thats why I underlined ALOT. Just warning people that have not used them like you and I. Some people may assume and become complacent with the heat source and thats when you run into problems. I am a volunteer firefighter and you can never be too careful. Even those oil filled heaters can cause fires if its next to a combustible(ex. try hay or pine needles)


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

I agree with you tjc1 as my husband was a volunteer firefighter for 10 years & I've learned alot!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The reptile heaters are pretty safe, and you would cover it so that they can't get near the bulb. I have used these for several years, and I remember telling Waynett about them a few years back when she had winter babies. She said they worked great, and even the other birds were hanging around in that area for the warmth. When I use them, I put them up over a shelf where the birds can go if they want more warmth, or over a perching area. The one problem is that some birds will try to perch on top of the light fixture, which get really hot, so I block that off also. You can just put some hardware cloth over it. But they do give a nice even heat, and you could put it on a timer. Depending on your set up, or where it is going to be, you can get different wattages. But I think for heating the whole area, the oil filled heaters are the best. For these babies in the nest box, it would just be easier to use the heater and warm the whole area. If they were in a cage, hanging a lower wattage reptile bulb, on the side or top of the cage would work well. But they are so much safer than heat lamps, and you can fashion something in front of it to keep them away from the bulb. With the higher wattage, you would also need the fixture you can get that will support a high wattage lamp. I usually get mine here, and they do sell the fixtures as well.

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/heat-bulbs-night-heat-bulbs-ceramic-bulbs/


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

This was the set up before I added the hardware cloth over the top to stop the birds from landing on the top of it, which a few did try to do.


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## sev3ns0uls (Jul 2, 2011)

Jason Heidlauf said:


> If you put it on a timer when the lamp is off the temp. will drop . thus defecting the purpose of having the lamp


yea the temp will drop but the purpose of it is just to keep the loft maintenance at a safe temperature for my 2 squabs. (dont freak out, this heat lamp will NOT be pointing directly at them but in a direction that somewhat partially on the nesting area). Since parents will sits on them all the time, the heat lamp is just a back up heat source in case of a deadly temperature drop. I will use a light timer because it will turn back on after 2 hours of being off. Like the lamp will turn on at 
8am - 2 pm, 
than off from 2pm - 4pm, 
than turn back on from 4pm - 9pm 
and off from 9pm -11 pm
than on from 11pm 7am.

in the case of temperature drop below 30, heat lamp will be on 24/7.

thanks everyone for the great advises.
This was planned only for the time being that the 2 ops squabs are still naked and hasnt grow enough body feather for the next few weeks. after 7 weeks, i will reduce the heat lamp turning on because by that time, they should have fully body feather.

I planning to do the exact thing like Jay3 and i will order a heat lamp like Msfreebird suggested.

thanks to everyone for such great advices.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Jay3 said:


> This was the set up before I added the hardware cloth over the top to stop the birds from landing on the top of it, which a few did try to do.


If anyone gets the ceramic reptile heater, you have to get a 'ceramic fixture' also....just like in Jay3's picture. Don't get the cheap metal fixtures. The dome is OK. It works great


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Hey Jay3 how did you attach that hardware onto the fixture metal that is a great set up. Also did you some how attach that spring clamp so it doesn't slide or come UN-done if something hits it?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That particular hardware cloth cover I bought from the same place I got the heater from. The hood has small holes in it. Three, I think. So I just wired it on through those holes. And, yes, it is clamped on, but I also wired it onto the clamp. Also wired at top so it would have to be unwired to take it down. Didn't want to leave anything to chance. Smart of you to think of that.


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## aulrich (Aug 14, 2012)

Would that provide enough heat to keet the birds water from freezing, at this point we have an early cold snap so I am just brining in the waterer at night and putting it out in the mourning. But it will eventually get cold enought to freeze in an hour or less. I am reluctant to use a heated dog watere bowl since that water could get dirty really fast.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Here's a video on making a good water heater cheap. The same thing sells at Foy's for $45.95. And Jedd's sells it for $49.95.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kesy8XV-4A

Some people also use those little coffee cup heaters.


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## loonecho (Feb 25, 2010)

Sorry to jump in here so late. But, I don't think you need a heat source. If you have squabs right now, They will be fully feathered in a couple weeks, three at most. It's only October and chances of it getting below zero this time of year are almost nil. I know, you are in Minnesota. So am I, northern Minnesota. Last winter I started breeding in early January without any extra heat source. Before the young were feathered the parents kept them warm by sitting on them. Even in the pin feather stage the parents were always over them. If the parents, and by default, the young are getting all they want to eat of good quality food, they will stay warm enough to keep them developing normally. Just my opinion.

Jim


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