brooder light/shade question

[ginger c.]

Ok... we have our Storey's Guide coming this week... should be here by Thursday, but I have a question regarding the heat lamp and light in the brooder.

We have the brooder in a side storage room with windows facing North and South. Every morning, I open the blinds for the babies so there is additional light in the room and they get used to daylight. At night they have only the red heat lamp.

My questions:

1. Do they need more light than what they are getting? (ie, should I add a basic white light also?)
2. Do they need a darker shady place to sleep? These little boogers are up and walking about peeping even at 3am.

 

[debid]

The red light is plenty of light at night for them to find their food/water. Mine can catch flying bugs with nothing but a red light on. If you block an infrared light with something, then you block the heat. Infrared heats objects, not air. So no, you don't want a shade for them to sleep under.

 

[Saltysteele]

agree - red light is plenty

just a tip on the light- you want it close enough that when lying down, they are scattered around the perimeter of the light ring. if they're all huddled in the center of the light focus, you've got it too far away.

they will judge and adjust how much heat they want/need, laying where it is comfortable.

 

[ginger c.]

Quote:
Thanks to both of y'all.

Our SLW is a week older than the other three. The feed store got her about 2 weeks ago, so I'm not sure if she is 2 or 3 weeks old. She's been way outside the light and panting constantly when it was 92-95 in the brooder. I've raised the light. Because of ambient temps, the brooder goes from about 86 at night to 90 in the day. Everyone seems very happy.

Is it possible to cool the chicks too soon? Or is it really just a matter of getting them acclimated to lower temps?