clear or red heat lamp?

[Botsford Family]

I am getting some baby chicks on Saturday and when I previous had chicks I used a clear heat bulb and then switched to a red heat bulb. I broke my red heat bulb and I was wondering if it really mattered whether I used red or clear??

I heard that Red lamp makes them less aggressive but I never seemed to have that issue before.
Now that I am getting 5 chicks I am concerned this might happen
Please let me know some of the luck you guys have had with the different colored lights

Thanks

 

[MyPetNugget]

The red light soothes them and helps with pecking and fighting. They seem to not fight as much with the red light. However, we use a regular light and it works as well.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It matters a lot. And I highly recommend a ceramic heat emitter instead of a lamp. They're more efficient and less prone to breakage. Even if they break, they don't make a mess. They also allow you control over day length.

For the first 3 days, a white heat lamp is a good idea so they can eat and drink whenever they get the urge. After that an ever increasing dark period until they have an 8 hour night is recommended.

A red lamp doesn't make them less aggressive but it disguises red so it limits picking.
A blue light has a calming effect on chickens.
A white light on 24/7 will make them aggressive.

 

[gander007]

It matters a lot. And I highly recommend a ceramic heat emitter instead of a lamp. They're more efficient and less prone to breakage. Even if they break, they don't make a mess. They also allow you control over day length.

For the first 3 days, a white heat lamp is a good idea so they can eat and drink whenever they get the urge. After that an ever increasing dark period until they have an 8 hour night is recommended.

A red lamp doesn't make them less aggressive but it disguises red so it limits picking.
A blue light has a calming effect on chickens.
A white light on 24/7 will make them aggressive.

If you look in the back of this brooder and check out the heat scarce ....






For me it works better if I can control the temp to with in a couple of degrees ...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Very nice setup gander. I like it.
Blue light and non light producing heat source.

I use ceramic heat emitters but you have to reach your hand in there to know they're on. Perhaps I should use my high/low alarm thermostat.

 

[lightchick]

I use clear light. My chicks are fine.
They have lots of room to play. My chicks are 2 weeks old and I've been using the same light all the time.

 

[gander007]

Very nice setup gander. I like it.
Blue light and non light producing heat source.

I use ceramic heat emitters but you have to reach your hand in there to know they're on. Perhaps I should use my high/low alarm thermostat.

ChickenCanoe, do you have a photo of your ceramic heater as it sounds interesting
the heater setup you can see in my photos have a ceramic center but the metal
coils around it turn red when it is on ...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

This is what I use and they work in a brooder fixture.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/110V-150W-P...320?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41808ac908

You can get them from 75 to 250 watt on ebay.

They work well in my hover Ohio type brooders too. You just can't look in there an know they're working. You have to feel for heat or have a remote thermometer.

 

[gander007]

Okay I understand .....