Best UV light?

[saridout]

My vet recommended that i put a UV light on my 2 indoor chickens for 8 hours a day to stimulate the production of vitamin D, but i can't find a good source of information on what the best light bulb would be. Does just a black light work, or is there another kind of bulb that's more effective?

 

[elmo]

I think you need a special UVB producing bulb for that, something like this:



http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=6550


We keep doves and small parrots indoors, and rather than using a UVB bulb, I just provide them supplemental vitamin D:



http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2811520

You could ask your vet if this would work for chickens too...one of our budgies is pushing 15 years old now, so it seems to be working.

p.s. I just noticed you're in the DFW area too...hey, neighbor!

 

[akepnerjr]

Yes dr foster smith is were i bought a heat light it was for reptiles only 40 watts good for small areas

 

[elmo]

Quote:
You have to check the label carefully. Usually the bulbs for heat do not produce UVB light.

 

[patandchickens]

What's the reason for not just giving vit D supplements? Actually, I don't know what you're feeding but if it is standard "layer" feed from the feedstore it ALREADY has enough vit D added to it to fulfill the average chicken's requirements.

Pat

 

[ChooksChick]

Yes, the supplement should be in their feed or can be added via vitamins & electrolytes in their water.

Another thing is that birds don't make a huge amount of Vitamin D through sun exposure due to feathering- so it may be more effective to use a supplement.

 

[saridout]

the vet told me that they should get sunlight because it triggers the production of vitamin D that is different from vitamin D in a supplement, but i really don't know how true that is. i went ahead and bought a full spectrum 60 watt bulb. it can't hurt anything to use it.

i'm still feeding them from giant bag of medicated chick feed i bought 3 months ago.