Sad Story, and a Light Bulb Warning!

Clucknut

Songster
12 Years
Mar 6, 2011
63
66
131
I haven't been here in a long time. Forgive me if this has already been covered...

On Friday, I went to Tractor Supply to pick up a bag of scratch grain. I use it as treats for my flock of OEGBs.
Well, it's that time of year... I ended up walking out with a bag of starter feed, a bail of pine shavings, and four Pekin Duck hatchlings. (I've had ducks before, and really enjoy them.) I got them home, dragged out the old chick feeders and waterers, and set up a brooder in the spare bathtub. My reflector didn't have a bulb in it, so I stuck a 60 watt in it, and quickly ran up to Ace Hardware to get some bigger bulbs. Because of the light bulb fiasco going on in the US, there isn't a wide range of incandescent bulbs available these days. I ended up with a couple 100 watt, "rough service worklights." About five minutes after turning the light on, one of the ducklings started acting funny. Then it collapsed and just laid there, breathing hard. I didn't understand what was happening, and then a second one started acting the same way. "THE BULB!", I realized. (These have some kind of coating on them to prevent breakage.) My wife and I scooped up all four babies and took them to fresh air in another room. The two that had collapsed slowly died in the palms of our hands... I felt so bad.
Two days later, the other two seem to be fine. I think they were further away as the bulb heated up... or they're just a couple of tough little quackers.
I don't know what the coating is on these bulbs. Teflon is very toxic to birds. It's either that, or something just as bad.
 
Oh wow, I am so sorry that happened. I have been meaning to check and see if I can stil get the red heat lamp bulbs I've always used or what to replace them with if not. I would not have known to check for that. Thank you for posting your experience with those.
 
I haven't been here in a long time. Forgive me if this has already been covered...

On Friday, I went to Tractor Supply to pick up a bag of scratch grain. I use it as treats for my flock of OEGBs.
Well, it's that time of year... I ended up walking out with a bag of starter feed, a bail of pine shavings, and four Pekin Duck hatchlings. (I've had ducks before, and really enjoy them.) I got them home, dragged out the old chick feeders and waterers, and set up a brooder in the spare bathtub. My reflector didn't have a bulb in it, so I stuck a 60 watt in it, and quickly ran up to Ace Hardware to get some bigger bulbs. Because of the light bulb fiasco going on in the US, there isn't a wide range of incandescent bulbs available these days. I ended up with a couple 100 watt, "rough service worklights." About five minutes after turning the light on, one of the ducklings started acting funny. Then it collapsed and just laid there, breathing hard. I didn't understand what was happening, and then a second one started acting the same way. "THE BULB!", I realized. (These have some kind of coating on them to prevent breakage.) My wife and I scooped up all four babies and took them to fresh air in another room. The two that had collapsed slowly died in the palms of our hands... I felt so bad.
Two days later, the other two seem to be fine. I think they were further away as the bulb heated up... or they're just a couple of tough little quackers.
I don't know what the coating is on these bulbs. Teflon is very toxic to birds. It's either that, or something just as bad.
So sorry. Reading your story will remind in the future to always use the red bulb. Thank you
 
Wow! I hate to hear that happened to you.
I was at Ace shopping for a bulb and picked up the "rough service" bulb twice putting it back each time...being a tight wad (over $5each) kept me from buying it.
 

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