Brooder Bulb?? Please help, I'm a Wreck!

[Break an Egg]

Hi all, hope you are having a good night, I am picking up chicks tomorrow and I have the brooder all set up. My question is about the bulb. I am using a red bulb because I read that it doesn't disturb sleep. It is an 85 watt red outdoor floodlight. I have it over and touching the screen. Will this do? It gets hot and I have a thermometer in there. I left it on for about 10 minutes and it got up to 85 degrees. I am so nervous. It almost feels like when I was about to have my daughter. lol Please help.

 

[buckyphifer]

If the chicks are new babies it needs to be around 90-95 anyways and drop 5 degrees every week until you get to 70. I didn't like the idea of setting my lights on anything so I put a small hook in the ceiling and hung the light at the end of the clamp with twine. This way I can make it lower or higher according to my temp needs. Congrats on your new editions!

 

[silkiechicken]

See if you can't get that light a bit closer.

You can just use a regular 100W incandescent bulb to get the temp up. They can sleep just fine under bright lights.

 

[fallenweeble]

yah, the big scary hot red bulb takes a while to get used to but don't worry - as long as you keep is suspended correctly it will be just fine.
bucky and silkie are right, it should be a bit lower if the temp isn't around 95. if the brooder is deep i wouldn't worry about the screen top yet - i would take it off and lower the bulb until you get the reading you need on your therm.
good luck and don't forget to post pics of your new babies.

 

[Break an Egg]

Thanks for all the info, you guys are really helpful. I think I like "chicken" people better than the rest, lol.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Just wanted to say welcome to BYC!!! You have come to a great place to find your answers-I know I have learned a lot here.