It's rather surreal looking out at night to see this golden dome in the yard. I purchased 4 heat lamps from Premier 1 this year. There are 2 inside there being used now with 250 watt bulbs. We have piglets due and it's been so cold I hooked them up for the first time. I keep them on the pigs side so the ever so curious goats can't get a hold of them. Many of you have seen these heat lamps, I am sure, in the Premier catalog but I have to say until you've seen them in person the catalog just doesn't do them justice. I was taken aback when they arrived by the sheer size of them. Very substantial and well made. It took me a bit of time to figure out how to open them to put the bulb in. They seem to have thought of everything when making them and they are about as animal proof as any heat lamp could be. I would never put a regular heat lamp out like this but these seem pretty safe.
I have been using them with a thermostatically controlled plug that turns them on when the temperature drops to 35 degree's and off when it gets up to 45 degree's. It works wonderfully. With the reflective insulation on the sides of the structure too it stays fairly warm inside considering how cold it's been.
Although it's been in the 20's a night the goats spend part of the night outside and if they are inside one of them usually is in the doorway with her head out. The pigs rarely leave the little cattle panel barn these days.
I also borrow the high / low thermometer I use in my incubutor at this time of year just to get an idea of how cold it is in their little home at night.
Those heat lamps look great! What a pretty glow coming from the dome.
ReplyDeleteIt actually is pretty but seems so out of place out here where it's so dark at night. I love those heat lamps.
ReplyDeleteTHose heat lamps are great! A few years ago I hada fire from a heat lamp I thought was secure but it ended up falling and caught my barn on fire. Thankfully we saw it before it got to bad. The tarp on the barn didnt ever actually flame up but a lot of smoke till half of it was gone. We got it out and had enough tarp to pull it over and cover up the hole it burnt. But my goats instead of runnign out had piled up in the back corner because it was close to the way outside. We had to tear the back panel off and pull them out that way. No one even got Pneumonia from the smoke or anything. All my babies were about 2 weeks old. Scary!
ReplyDeleteI use them very sparingly now but I have found my goats rarely need them. But I dont raise pigs and I know thats different. I may have to look into buying a couple of those.
Keep those little mamma piggies warm. Always a joy to visit you!
ReplyDeleteI have to say, compared to the heat lamps available locally here, the Premier ones look much more sturdy, and much safer. Even with our brooder boxes I get a bit nervous using the standard lamps, as the metal housings get so darn hot. I might have to invest in a couple of these instead! Looks like a very cozy set-up!
ReplyDeleteI've never been comfortable with the heat lamps outside only because of all the horror stories you hear about them but these looked safer in the catalog and in person they look even better still so I feel as safe as one can with these. I just can't say enough good about them.
ReplyDeleteTonia, glad every one was ok. Yes, that would be plenty scary!
The cattle panel barn is fantastic, I didn't realize you move two sets of animals in. How far do you have to run the extension cord?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you are taking good care of your little ones to be. Best of luck! There is so much to raising one's own animals. I have so much admiration and respect for your efforts.
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