Poultry Heat Lamp alternatives?

Question

My ducklings will be hatching out in 2 weeks time, so i am just about to buy a heat lamp to keep them nice and toasty.

However, heat lamps are quite expensive (£20ish) and i was wondering if there was a cheaper option? (for any product suggestions, i am in the UK)

There will only be two ducklings from this batch (small incubator) so i dont need anything huge.

Thanks for any ideas

Answer 1

You can use simple light bulbs - just nothing more than 30-40 watts and like Pigeon said, make sure there is plenty of room to move around if they are too warm.

Answer 2

I just use a 25watt light bulb. I don't know how they size your light bulbs in England. I use a trouble light fixture with a aluminum hood.  Place it about six inches off of the bottom of the box. Make sure that there is enough room for it to be able to move away from the light if they get too warm.  

Answer 3

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Answer 4

  I use no less than a 60watt light bulb suspended with an aluminum pan made into a drop light that sits over my plastic storage tub or cardboard box where I keep my ducklings. An enclosed container such as the plastic storage tub or cardboard box will help to contain heat alot better than an open container such as a cage.

  You need to keep it no less than 95 degrees in that container until the ducklings feather out. (You will lessed the heat as they become more feathered out.) You can measure/test the heat with a regular themometer or a cooking thermometer (be careful using a regular themometer because if it gets too hot it will break whereas a cooking themometer is less likely to break).

   Lay the thermometer on the bottom of your container for no less than 5 minutes to see how warm you can keep it.  If after 5 minutes it measures more than 95 degrees then lessen the bulb wattage or raise the bulb.

   I would NOT place it as close as 6 inches as one person suggests as the ducklings could jump up and dislodge the light and create a fire.

   My light is suspended no less than 18 inches. . . the further away the light bulb the greater the lightbulb you would use.

   During the course of raising my ducklings,when I clean out their container as it will get NASTY very quickly. . I allow them to swim in a tub of luke warm water but I do not leave them unattended because it is possible for them to drown if they get tired from swimming and can't get out of the water.

   I keep my bathroom warm with an electric space heater. . . the extra heat kills me but the ducklings stay warm which is important as they will cool off when wet.

   When I am through with cleaning their container,I take the ducklings out of the water and towel dry most of the water off and place them back in their clean container and sit back and watch them "preen" or clean themselves. . . it is sooo cool to watch them.

   Should your ducklings be kept TOO warm they will start to pant like a dog and or you will see them laying their wings away from their bodies in an effort to cool off so lessen the heat of the bulb. . . . .NEVER put the duckling back in water in an effort to cool them down,to do so could throw them into shock.  Merely remove the heat source and allow them to cool off slowly.  Provide plenty of fresh water.

   On warm days I take my ducklings out to a make shift pen and allow them to graze on bugs and grass but again I never leave them unattended as predators could come up and take them/kill them.

Good Luck

P.S.  You will be tempted to help those ducklings to hatch but LEAVE THEM  ALONE. . . they need to hatch out on their own.  To help them may kill them.

   DO NOT place them in water for 3-4 days after first hatching as they have to adapt and learn to regulate and maintain their own body heat.