I'm a small-scale producer, so I really shouldn't have experimented... but I wanted a safer way to brood chicks than the 250W red heat lamps (I am terrified of a barn fire--it borders on neurosis!).
First I bought two Brinsea EcoGlow 50s, plugged one in to test out on a batch of 40 Silkies, and noticed that the birds were COLD. I read through the directions again and again, and finally in fine print was "Do not use when temperatures are below 50˚F." Well, that was dumb. Of course, that info was NOT on the website; only when I received my EcoGlows did the instructions let me know this small bit of very important information. We brood hundreds of chicks in our BARN each year, starting in February/March time frame. It was definitely going to get below 50˚F! I tried supplementing the heat with a lamp, but it still wasn't hot enough. I ended up having to ditch the EcoGlows, and went with my old 250W enemy.
Next, I purchased two 200W ceramic bulbs and 100W ceramic bulb on ebay for maybe $15 or $20 each. These are specifically for keeping reptiles warm, but I have read a few things that say they work great for chicks. When they arrived, I installed the two 200W and one 100W hanging VERY low (within 12") over a batch of 110 Cornish X + 25 Silkies. They were FREEZING, and huddling like crazy. Temps were freezing outside. I had some immediate pile-up issues, and I felt sick.
I switched the 100W ceramic bulb out for a 250W red bulb, since I clearly was having bad luck. They all piled under the 250W bulb, and more loses. I had made the mistake of assuming that you can't get a thermometer reading for a ceramic bulb: turns out that you can.
I have since researched that the problem with ceramic bulbs: they only emit heat in one concentrated spot right under the bulb, but no ambient heat. Good for reptiles, not so good for big batches of chicks.
I had this setup, of red lamp with two ceramic bulbs, for a few days and lost a few chicks each night to piling while the temps were in the 20˚F range.
I finally got so frustrated from losing so many chicks that I built an Ohio hover brooder (sort of, since I am no builder, but it does the job) from recycled wood. I tried a ceramic lamp in one end and a 60W white bulb in the other, set it up, and the chicks all clumped near the white bulb. I thought this was because they were too hot next to the ceramic bulb, but when I looked closer, the ones still beside the ceramic bulb were desperately huddled together. The bulbs were clearly only able to keep the chicks right in front of the lamp warm, even in the hover brooder. I had another couple of deaths from piling.
Essentially, I have decided that these ceramic reptile lamps are the WORST possible way to brood chicks, natural daylight rhythms be ******. Whoever suggests them is probably only brooding 20 chicks in their house where temps are stable.
Now, I have a 60W on one side and the 250W on the other side of the hover brooder. Temps will get into the 30s tonight, and into the teens later this week. I'll let you know how it goes. I may have to change out the 60W for something of higher wattage for the first few weeks.
Another thing which I forgot to take into account is that Cornish X are particularly vulnerable to cold when they are young, which may have been why they were having such trouble with piling. I have NEVER had this much trouble brooding before, and I have brooded with much nastier weather and much less wattage on the lamps. I'm beginning to think that the Cornish X's weakness may also be to blame in this awful brooding experience, since I've never brooded Cornish X this early in the season before.
Just had to share this awful experience
Our goal, to raise 600 meat birds this year, might be a little lofty at this rate.
First I bought two Brinsea EcoGlow 50s, plugged one in to test out on a batch of 40 Silkies, and noticed that the birds were COLD. I read through the directions again and again, and finally in fine print was "Do not use when temperatures are below 50˚F." Well, that was dumb. Of course, that info was NOT on the website; only when I received my EcoGlows did the instructions let me know this small bit of very important information. We brood hundreds of chicks in our BARN each year, starting in February/March time frame. It was definitely going to get below 50˚F! I tried supplementing the heat with a lamp, but it still wasn't hot enough. I ended up having to ditch the EcoGlows, and went with my old 250W enemy.
Next, I purchased two 200W ceramic bulbs and 100W ceramic bulb on ebay for maybe $15 or $20 each. These are specifically for keeping reptiles warm, but I have read a few things that say they work great for chicks. When they arrived, I installed the two 200W and one 100W hanging VERY low (within 12") over a batch of 110 Cornish X + 25 Silkies. They were FREEZING, and huddling like crazy. Temps were freezing outside. I had some immediate pile-up issues, and I felt sick.
I switched the 100W ceramic bulb out for a 250W red bulb, since I clearly was having bad luck. They all piled under the 250W bulb, and more loses. I had made the mistake of assuming that you can't get a thermometer reading for a ceramic bulb: turns out that you can.
I have since researched that the problem with ceramic bulbs: they only emit heat in one concentrated spot right under the bulb, but no ambient heat. Good for reptiles, not so good for big batches of chicks.
I had this setup, of red lamp with two ceramic bulbs, for a few days and lost a few chicks each night to piling while the temps were in the 20˚F range.
I finally got so frustrated from losing so many chicks that I built an Ohio hover brooder (sort of, since I am no builder, but it does the job) from recycled wood. I tried a ceramic lamp in one end and a 60W white bulb in the other, set it up, and the chicks all clumped near the white bulb. I thought this was because they were too hot next to the ceramic bulb, but when I looked closer, the ones still beside the ceramic bulb were desperately huddled together. The bulbs were clearly only able to keep the chicks right in front of the lamp warm, even in the hover brooder. I had another couple of deaths from piling.
Essentially, I have decided that these ceramic reptile lamps are the WORST possible way to brood chicks, natural daylight rhythms be ******. Whoever suggests them is probably only brooding 20 chicks in their house where temps are stable.
Now, I have a 60W on one side and the 250W on the other side of the hover brooder. Temps will get into the 30s tonight, and into the teens later this week. I'll let you know how it goes. I may have to change out the 60W for something of higher wattage for the first few weeks.
Another thing which I forgot to take into account is that Cornish X are particularly vulnerable to cold when they are young, which may have been why they were having such trouble with piling. I have NEVER had this much trouble brooding before, and I have brooded with much nastier weather and much less wattage on the lamps. I'm beginning to think that the Cornish X's weakness may also be to blame in this awful brooding experience, since I've never brooded Cornish X this early in the season before.
Just had to share this awful experience
