Brooder temperature question..

[Hennypen]

The brooder is set up with a 125 watt heat lamp. Directly under the light the temperature is 110. The further away you get the lower the temperature. The chicks like to hang out away from the heat (in the 80 deg area). Is this ok or should I change the set up so they can't move too far away from the light?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
The general rule is that the brooder temperature should be 95-90 degrees for the first week and temps adjusted downward by 5 degrees each subsequent week. I think your brooder is way too hot and you should raise the light so that the temp reads appropriate for their age (youd didn't say how old they are).

 

[tammyd57]

Don't restrict them from moving away from the light. They will find their comfort zone. They will come closer to the light to warm up and further away to eat, drink and play. 110 is much too hot, and if you made them stay in that heat they would die within about an hour or less.

 

[Hennypen]

Quote:
Agree. 110 is too hot but that's only directly where the bulb is pointing. The other end of the brooder is 85. I'm not making them stay in that heat just wondered if I should allow them to get so far away to. This is an open air animal cage with cardboard on the side. They are choosing to stay in the 85deg range which seems too cold to me but that's where they're choosing to be.

Pictures of the set up:


They are choosing to stay to the far right. 85 deg's there. They hatched Wed am and Thurs am

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Agree. 110 is too hot but that's only directly where the bulb is pointing. The other end of the brooder is 85. I'm not making them stay in that heat just wondered if I should allow them to get so far away to. This is an open air animal cage with cardboard on the side. They are choosing to stay in the 85deg range which seems too cold to me but that's where they're choosing to be.

Pictures of the set up:


They are choosing to stay to the far right. 85 deg's there. They hatched Wed am and Thurs am

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m245/backinthesaddle_2006/chickcage.jpg

There shouldn't be any 110 degree temps in the brooder anywhere. Why not provide the "target" temps under the lightbulb and then let them decide where they are comfortable. At 110 you're just putting up an "invisible fence", closing off that area as useful floor space and making a dangerous hot spot.
PLUS, red lights are recommended over white lights (although that wasn't your original inquiry).

 

[goldnchocolate]

Home depot sells a red bulb that is only 100 wts and it has been just right for my brooders. I hang it from a string so that I can raise it or lower it as needed. Look for this type of bulb: 85 or 100 watt "PAR38" (landscape type) flood lamp (red preferred). You could also take the lamp that you are using now but put it above the wire crate rather than in it.

This is the lamp over their first brooder:

And then over their larger brooder:

 

[RAWR]

i would turn the lamp down or move it away from the chicks
110 is way too hott
dont wanna cook them

 

[Hennypen]

Quote:

They are NOT being COOKED. Read the entire post before you post.

No place to hang it from. Can only lower it inside, not raise it up. I'll try a lower wattage but the rest of the brooder will be room temperature.

There's plenty of room in that for 7 chicks. Not really any wasted space except what's directly under the bulb.

 

[RAWR]

XD lol i have a bad habbit of reading the first post and putting what i think

 

[Hennypen]

Ok, changed the light bulb to a plain old 100 watt. The temp is now about 95 deg directly under the light. We also moved the light to the "chick end" of the brooder. (I think they were afraid of being on the door side of the brooder. ) They are now all asleep near the light. My concern now...... some of them were panting.

They WILL move if they get too hot right?
We're also going to add another light to the door end so the entire thing is about the same temp.