Alternatives for heat lamps??!

[Shezadandy]

Oh learning about sunset is pretty exciting at first, so much chatter.

I stay up pretty late, and with lights on in the house I felt really bad suddenly turning them off. I didn't think of using a flashlight, I'd go turn on more lights further down the hall so when I turned off the nearby lamp it wasn't suddenly dark... like a simulated sunset (turning off lights over the course of about 10-15 minutes, so ridiculous!) and helped them underneath. Then I learned to just put the brooder by the window in the other room and let the sun do the sunset. Then I learned to just brood outside. I still always check to make sure they're tucked in safe for the night, they get so quiet!

Oh yeah, I did that too! Glad I'm not the only one! Since we moved, the new temporary brooder area is now in the garage, which is too dark without lights and I'm not great about remembering to turn them off at sunset, so had to switch to the flashlight.

Actually I do this in my coop too - Summer, no lights - the rest of the year, 2 stay on all day for the darker months... then those go off and the people area light goes on... It's just like when they flash the lights at the theater, the late night snackers take the cue and go straight to the roost, lights out. They've trained us really well!

 

[oldhen2345]

I never thought about a flashlight. Will try that. I have the brooder in the house and am notorious about forgetting to close it down at sunset. I usually close the drapes at sunset uge security light outside the window)and leave light on in the room. Later, I turn the light off in the room and turn the light on in the hall. Then turn that out.