Oh, dear, now I know what my dreams will be like tonight, LOL. It's been a fun trip back to the 60's but it's almost midnight, so I'm off to bed in a few. I think you have it under control now!
OMGosh, I have a black light in the bsmt somewhere. Wonder how it would affect the chickens if I put it in the coop....nah, better not chance it. They'd be laying psychedelic eggs, LOL!
Yeah, aren't those reptile gadgets cool? A customer who bought some pullets from me actually brought me a 150 watt ultraviolet reptile heat bulb for my brooder lamp that I'd never seen before and it was perfect for my outside nursery coop as the second back up lamp. And yes, please don't burn...
Jacie, actually the temp range that is best is whatever makes them act like they are comfortable, milling around the brooder, eating and drinking, sleeping side by side, but not piled on top of each other like they are desperately cold. Observe them and they will tell you when they're comfy and...
It's back? Where, where?! Oh, you mean rather than BANNED like on April Fools' Day? Hehehe. They get some dust on them, but I've never had any problems, just blow the dust off from time to time.
You can pretty much use anything you like, you just have to raise it high enough not to cook the chicks, LOL. The 250 will cost you much more to run, though, trust me.
The only time I ever use a 250 watt lamp is when they are outside in the nursery coop and it's the tail end of winter. In the house brooder, I only use a 125 watt lamp suspended above the brooder from the shower rod.