Brooder light

[920utlaw]

Hello everyone Im new here. I have eggs in an incubator ready to hatch in two weeks and i want to be 100% ready when they come. I have a 250 watt reptile bulb. Will that be sufficient in the brooder? Its not a red bulb its one of those UV bulbs. Any advice would be great, this is my first time doing this...

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I think those bulbs will work. Try setting up the brooder and turn the light on for about 30 minutes and stick a thermometer in there to see if it will stay around 95 degrees which is the temp to brood chicks for their first week. If it will then you are good to go.

 

[catdaddy66]

Make sure to keep the light to one side of the brooder, giving the chicks a cooler area if they overheat. I use a 250 watt bulb and it hangs about 2-2.5 feet from the top of the brooder. Right now it reads 88 degrees and the birds are very comfortable.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I am using 2 of those types of bulbs. It must be the construction of the brooder or the location or something I'm not considering. Actually I have never used a 250 watt before. I always used 100 watts, but I never raised babies in the cold before. Not sure I will again either. Guess I was just in a hurry to get some fresh meat in the freezer.

 

[920utlaw]

thanks guys I will be using a 4x4x 3 ft high whelping box as a brooder is that good enough? Also can I use wood pellets as bedding?

 

[jimma207]

I have (hopefully) chicks hatching next week. I also was wondering about using wood pellets. I have a few bags that dont burn very well, and thought it might be a good use for them. I think they would absorb good, do you think they would try to eat em?