Don't cook your peeps!

[TheSitcomGirls]

It's that time of year! I have seen quite a few posts about brooders being to hot. I found this picture and thought it was worth sharing.

A year ago I got my first peeps. I bought a 250 watt heat lamp and set it up over my brooder. It was pointed straight down. It seemed the right temp to me.....but just in case I put the only thermometer I had in the cage and turned the light on.

When I came back an hour later.....well....you can see what happened to my outdoor horse thermometer! I replaced the 250 watt bulb with 100 watts on the outside of the cage...and did not cook my peeps when they arrived the next day!

Four peeps did just fine with 100 watts positioned like this: (Our house is about 65 degrees this time of year.)

Don't cook your peeps!

 

[Noymira]

Good tip, thanks!

I'll be buying a 100W heat bulb!

 

[hallerlake]

The labeled brooder bulbs at the hardware store are 150 watts. I use them in my little greenhouse. Ive got eggs hatching in a week. I'd better see about setting up my brooder.

 

[NickyPick]

I've got a 250w bulb, but we tested it the week before the peeps came and found that it held steady at 90-93 degrees about 3 feet from the ground. The kids are 3 weeks now and my light is 5 feet up.

 

[lorrir]

I keep a thermostat in my brooder box too. But I really watch the chicks. Are they grouped together in a huddle .... too cold, are they way away from the light..... too hot. Are they under the light and active..... just right!

The fuzzy butts know what to do.

 

[loot4louie]

I use a ceramic heat lamp from pet store. The 250 watt from feed store scared me it got so hot so fast. I have to put the ceramic a little closer, but it is not dangerous to touch. I just put a thermometer under it and watch chicks. I still use a cage on the light.

 

[7L Farm]

Glad you posted this.I thought about this after I hatched my first time. I could be wrong but Here is what happened & I've read that its happened to others as well. I noticed my chicks that were in the brooder were way to hot one day. I also noticed as mentioned I could be wrong & stand to be corrected if need be. When they get cooked it affects their movement they start walking backwards instead of straight ahead. I couldn't figure out why until the other day it dawned on me.

 

[suzeqf]

Hubby checked on the girls at lunch today and the temp was over 100 in their box luckly i had moved them into their bigger box last night so they had plenty of cool space and he changed the 250w bulb to a 100w he's such a good hubby even though he said the chicks were all mine

 

[lynnolekas]

I like the ceramic heater as well but when I mentioned to the hatchery that I was using
it the girl's response was that I needed to change to a bulb immediately. I can't help
but think that the daylight requirements for the baby chick is what 8 - 10 hours a day?
Won't the bulb on 24/7 be too much in terms of light, I mean. I achieved the correct temp
during the day with a low wattage bulb and the ceramic heater and the top of our large box
half opened. At night I have achieved the correct temp with the ceramic heater and the
top of the brooder fully closed. Is the quantity of light an issue for my babies?

just wondering..
Lynn

 

[Fred's Hens]

With such small brooder boxes common here, the chicks cannot self regulate by moving away. The plastic tubs are OK, but goodness, they tend to trap the heat. You post is timely, especially this time of year. I sure wish newbies would consider larger brooders so the chicks have room to exercise.