Brooder light Q--the one at TS is HUGE & is it safe too...

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

set it directly on top of hardware cloth? Were thinking of doing a rubbermade for the 1st week or so and then there "bigger" one in the garage later but the rubbermade would have hardware cloth over it obviously, so the light just sits on it? I want them in the laundry room for the 1st week! How does that go/work? I want them to be warm enough but not have an accident/fire obviously! Thanks so much!!!

 

[Gonzo]

Does it have a clamp? Is it the 250 watt red infrad heat lamp? Thats what I have, I clamp it to the side of the storage tote I use. Just be careful, it will melt plastic if its too close.

 

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

OMGoodness! I forgot to ask the "2nd question" LOL--we don't have a light yet since i didnt buy the one at TS...it just seems like others on here looked smaller? Where do you get them from? I plan on getting a red bulb but still undecided on wattage too!?

 

[Gonzo]

When you go in the store, ask for a brooder light and lamp. Should set you back about 15 bucks. The have them at rural king also. Try to get a red light, it's more calming for them, and helps prevent picking. Just be careful with it. I use them, last year I had one set up in the house and I smelled something that smelled like burning wood... I had made a lid using hardware cloth and wood, it was charred black, and part of the storage tote had melted! Opps! Glad I caught that before we went to bed! Just when you set it up, check the sides of your container and make sure its not hot, or too close.

 

[Chipper]

While they are in the house you will not need a 250 watt heat bulb.I have used red 100 watt bulbs inside and that was plenty.
Just make sure the chicks have room to move away from the heat if they want to.

For outside you will probably want a 250 watt heat bulb and make sure the fixture has a ceramic base,they get very hot.
Good Luck with your new chicks.

 

[peachlover]

I picked some up at Walmart, red 250 bulbs as well. I have also purchased them at Home Depot, and Ace Hardware. Walmart was less than half the price. I have set them on the hardware cloth, but I also wire them as a safety precaution. Wire them: run tie wire or craft wire from the clip ring on the back of the lamp to something else. I do this to make sure if anything were to move the lamp would be suspended in a safe area. Have fun.

 

[Intheswamp]

What peachlover said about getting one with a porcelain socket...very important as a heat lamp can melt a regular bakelite(plastic) socket. And definitely do secure them so that if *something* happens they can't fall into the litter, on the floor, carpet, etc.,. I've seen several folks that have built simple wooden stands with legs coming up on either side of their brooder and a crosspiece connecting the legs...the lamp is suspended from this crosspiece and allows for the lamp to be raised and lowered to adjust the temperature. The porcelain socketed lamp fixture usually is the larger hooded one...the smaller diameter hooded ones seem to all have plastic sockets. It might seem really big for use with the brooder, but it'll work fine....it's large size will be handy later on during the winter if you need a heatlamp to warm the adults in the coop.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

makes total sense intheswamp and everyone else! thanks so much...good thinking that could be used in the winter too! this winter's actually been COLD here in Sunny FL!

 

[Doll Maker]

Mama2B&D&...Chickens :

set it directly on top of hardware cloth? Were thinking of doing a rubbermade for the 1st week or so and then there "bigger" one in the garage later but the rubbermade would have hardware cloth over it obviously, so the light just sits on it? I want them in the laundry room for the 1st week! How does that go/work? I want them to be warm enough but not have an accident/fire obviously! Thanks so much!!!

We got our light at TSC and you're right it's a BIG light, 250 watt red bulb. It has served us well for the first couple of weeks, but we are headed to Petco to find a smaller one soon. We put a hook in the ceiling above our brooder and started the babies out at about 95 degrees under the light. It was about 18" above the box!! We had it raised clear to the ceiling before we divided the babies into two brooders. I lowered it to about the second link in the chain from the ceiling. It is now reading about 85 degrees under the light, and around 80 on the cool end. The babies are sleeping all over the box and no one is panting.

Hope this helps. Check at Petco or Pet Smart for red bulbs that go from 50 watts all the way up to 250. They are for reptile cages and will work in the brooder lamps.

 

[Rocky Meadows]

I use a hundred watt bulb for in side first week in a plastic tub and then I built a wood brooder and use a hundred light in there also But I have it wired to a dimmer switch as to reduce the heat each week.