brooders and lights and all that

[zerwitt14]

I am going to build a simple box to use as my brooder, and I have read here that the best source of heat is lights.... now my chicks will be in my garage, and this March when they arrive the temp can range from the teens at night to 60's in the day, yes good old Indiana weather. My questions is what about at night? I do not want them to have light all night do I? infrared?? Just want to be the best prepared for when my chicks arrive!!

 

[The Breaker]

Light all night wont hurt at all you can use red heat bulbs are regular ones there isn't alot of ways to keep chicks warm excpt light all other methods are expensive.

 

[kbreak]

I use the red heat lamp. Mine have all seemed to do fine with that. I have my chicks outside in large brooder 3x7x4 feet high. I put 2 lights in there. My fear was what if the bulb blew during the night they would lose their heat source. So I put 1 in the corner 125 watt bulb and then a 250 watt in the middle. Always have a bulb on standby if you use 1 light . I had one go out when I still was using 1 light and had just bought an extra bulb that day. Good luck !! Have fun with it. They are truely amazing to watch.

 

[zerwitt14]

Thanks! I just placed my order, ship date is March 4th, so I have to get the garage clean for brooding, then build the coop and run!!