Brooder Lighting

[stevin]

i built a 2 compartment brooder which only half of it was being used for the first 3 weeks.

i have now opened up both sides but only had 1 heat lamp on till i had a chance to run to the petshop to pick up a 100w red bulb for the 2nd lamp. well today i picked the heat bulb, drove home and screwed it into the lamp and nothing.....it was a dud...
so for the time being i put in a 65w white flood bulb. i also moved things around in the brooder, a 2-level roost and water in the red light side and the feeder, water and sand in the white light side.

will having 2 different colored lights in the same brooder cause any confusion to the chicks? even thou they're in 2 partially seperate compartments? i was worried that the chicks wouldn't venture to the side with the feeder because it was darker.

i also cut in some doors/windows to makes things easier when cleaning and feeding. and my 1yr old son loves the new windows as well...

the brooder with the 2 different colored lights:

the red light district:

the white light side:

the new windows:

closed up for the night:

 

[WildWalker]

Even chickens have red light districts!?! What's this world come to?!

What a handsome brooder though! I'm sure the chicks love it! While I've no experience working with multi-colored bulbs I don't think it will phase them much - with my setup I've only been using old table lamps with 60w bulbs in a tote with a 6"x6" hole bored in the cap for ventilation and viewing.

That I've seen from chicken behavior - if they're confused or suspicious about something they usually stay away from it, which, judging by the pictures, doesn't seem to be the case. You may notice that they'll often bed down in the red light district, because its more familiar and has roosts. Even my mostly grown chickens still have a fondness for the grey totes I raised them in, whether they can actually fit into those totes is a different question of course.

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

I raised 2 sets now a 3rd with A 100,75,60,40 watt lightbulbs and they never seem to be out of sorts so I don't think light color matters as long as they are warm and have food and water they are good.

Did you name any of your chicks Roxanne Cause I figured she would hang out in the white light side because Roxaane doesn't need to turn on her red light *hangin head* For Shame on me I will go and sit in my corner now and

 

[zade11]

^HAHAHA^ I saw Roxanne and knew exactly where you were goin with that...And to think people told me my chicks were spoiled with space in my brooder lol then again i only had 6 untill the last three weeks they were in it then there were 10

 

[LauraG]

Wow thats a great brooder for them!

I did hear the red lighting is more soothing & cuts down on cannibalism, for what its worth.

But they have options to go to the "sunny side of town" or the "seedy side of town" with your set-up so I'm sure it will be fine!

Blessings,
Laura

 

[stevin]

it's funny you say that... Roxanne is a name that i have on the list.
just waiting till they get a lil older w/more personality before i start naming them.
prior to lastnite they were spending very lil time away from the side w/the heatlamp. the side w/the feeder had no light...
now they seem to be scattered throughout the brooder. i did keep in mind that the red light relaxes them and that was the main reason why i left it in the side where the roosts are. even thou it wasn't planned this way i kinda like the idea of the 2 different lights.
it's now a simulator of what's to be. the red light + roosts = coop
and the bright light + sand = outside run
i might be way off base but it sounds good.......lol

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Quote:
Nope your exactly right cause mine do the same thing at night I turn off the work light I have hangin up on the outside of the brooder (they have most of their feathers in and it doesn't get real cold here in Texas at night now) they lay down and go to sleep but in the morning when I turn it on they think it is the sun they are up and running about the brooder eating and drinking and playing so I get the feeling that they will go into the coop to roost at night when the sun goes down and they go out to the coop.

 

[HerbiLady]

It all sounds good and I gotta say, AWESOME cardboard brooder!!

A couple things are apparent to me...you're much better at construction and design and your duct tape beats heck out of mine

I'm going to have to build something bigger this weekend and I'll be ripping off a couple ideas I see there in your's, if you don't mind

Especially the hinged access flaps you've got there...genius idea!

I use only a red light at night and try to avoid the bright flood light I had been using in conjunction with the red light during the day. I've got them in a place where they have a lot of natural light and I don't want them over-stimulated, especially at night. So, when it's really warm in the RV their brooder is in, I turn out all lights, even the red one, at night and just leave another overhead light in the RV on at night. I want them to get used to natural light rhythms since I've read about folks havng trouble with their chickens when they transition to the coop cuz they're so afraid of the dark. Mine hate total and sudden darkness, or even sudden and not-total darkness. They huddle more together when it's dim in the RV without the red light. They're plenty warm so I think it's more of a comfort/safety issue for them. Mine are two weeks old now.

 

[Laurajean]

Hmmm... like Hockey?!

Brooder looks awesome. Similar to what I created, but on a much grander, better scale! What I would really like to see is a pic or response as to what your light are hanging from. Hooks in ceiling, etc? This has been my biggest problem since they are in a finished room, as yours appear to be.

 

[stevin]

thanks for all the responses...!!!
please feel free to use any of my ideas, thats why i post'em...
god bless cardboard and duct tape! i felt like 4th grader putting together a science project.

so what gave it away that i'm a hockey fan? Go Bruins!!!!!

Laurajean, i have an acoustical (drop)ceiling in my basement. i raised a couple of the 2'x2' ceiling tiles and attached the cable directly to the metal rails and then using zipties to lock the cables together.