heat lamp

[greif]

does anyone use heat lamps with their goats in winter?

[farmerjane]

I do.

[DairyGoatSlave]

for kids only

[susanne]

every year barns are burning down because of heat lamps. for that reason, i don't use them.
i have little coats for my kids if it is very cold. healthy kids with a full tummy kept in a draft free barn will not get cold in winter.
i'm in michigan and it can get very cold here

[Backfourty,MI.]

I don't use them. Once we had winter babies & I used a heat lamp but only for a few days then I figured they were fine & they were. I am a worry wart anyways. I now plan for spring babies. If I had winter babies by accident again I would have to play it by ear & see how the weather was. I'm a little like Susanne, if they are warm, dry & full & with the mother I think they will be fine. Our goats all have enclosed houses or the barn to stay warm & get out of the cold when ever they want or need to.

[nehimama]

Just about had a barn burn down (in MI) several years back, due to heat lamp falling into the bedding. IF you feel you must use a heat lamp, be ABSOLUTELY certain it is FASTENED. You want it high enough from the bedding, AND you DON'T want any animals knocking it down! Ours was knocked down by a chicken. We had used the clamp that comes on the el cheapo lamps, and it didn't hold worth a flip.

As Susanne said, "healthy kids with a full tummy kept in a draft free barn will not get cold in winter." If I have kids that are slow or need a warmup, I'll bring them into the house. Will use a heat lamp as a last resort.

NeHi

[sammyd]

We have a heat lamp over a small "cave" in one corner of the kid pen. We had some terrible up and down weather last spring that cost us at least 3 kids. So this was our remedy.
http://script-host.com/self/drill/trySANY0315.jpg

The lamp goes on top and is held in place with screws. Rabbit cage wire to keep little noses and hooves out.
http://script-host.com/self/drill/trySANY0313.jpg

and the extension cord is run to a special thermostatic plug in I found at Fleet Farm that was meant for keeping heat tapes activated. Keeps it just above freezing....Also covered with rabbit cage wire. Sorry the plug and lamp were removed while cleaning..but you can get the idea.
http://script-host.com/self/drill/trySANY0314.jpg

[barngirl]

We're in MI and our barn being over a 100 years old is a bit drafty. we work hard to make it warm for our animals. We end up using a heat lamp for kids but are EXTREMELY careful when fastening it in a VERY secure and safe as possible way. The heat lamp "gets them going" and we only have it on for about 1 week - 2. Our kids are born Febuary/March so it's still really cold here...we are out there all the time checking on them and safety etc. Yup, they do have full bellies and that does help.

You have to weigh the pros and cons...

[Beulah Gardens]

We don't. We kid the Boers in Dec/Jan and some times it is 20 below. last year out of 35 kids we lost 3 and none due to the cold. A dry shelther and a good rub down with a towel is all they get. They are born with what they need to survive. Our dairies kid in Feb/Mar and I have to admit I would take the cold of Jan over the wet of March any day.

[susanne]

in a drafty old barn a better solution would be to put in some little dog houses where the kids can get out of the draft. make sure you have enough space and do not put very small kids with bigger kids in so they don't get smashed.
if the barn burns down, chances are, adult animals are lost. if a kid freezes, would be small loss. i take that any day.

[farmerjane]

My heat lamp is on a chain and has has a guard, -40 is not unusual here and I don't even want to know how cold it gets with the windchill. They have a small door and come and go as they please and they love the lamp and will curl up under it together. We already have snow, brrrrrr. . . .

[goatkid]

I live in Montana and have never used a heat lamp. I think they are too dangerous. I breed my does to begin kidding in March. If it's really cold, babies are brought in the house for the first couple of weeks. After that, having straw to snuggle in is adequate.

[ShyAnne]

I have used heat bulbs, always secured with screws. We are sure they are well away from goats, even if standing on tiptoes and buckets.
I also make triple sure all wires, are well out of reach.