Digital Temp Power Controller

[FredHill]

Using digital controllers to shut the light off and on to control the temperature can cause your bulbs to burn out leaving your chicks with no heat. Better to go with a heat pad and/or use a light with no controller. Pulse proportional thermostat controllers don't burn out the bulbs but they're hundreds of dollars and used with ceramic bulbs.Hope this helps!

OK. Goal is to spend small amounts when nec. Is a heat pad made for chicks or are you referring to one like I put on my sore back?
Also, it's not one of those solid radiant deals they get under is it?

 

[FredHill]

Since your in Florida you don't need a 250 watt red light bulb. I would use a 150 watt heater bulb. Skip the red light bulb, since they produce radiant heat which can easily cook the chicks in mild/warm climate. Just a suggestion.

Your setup looks good.

Appreciate the compliment on my box! I'm novice to all things chicken and only know a smidge more about woodworking..just enough to be dangerous!

 

[raingarden]

You're handy. It looks really nice.

Regular incandescent bulbs are fine and are available in a range of wattages. I start with 60w or 75w and then reduce to 40 watt. Incendescent bulds are getting hard to find though. I hope they don't disappear completely in the future.

I wouldn't be turning the light off and on too much. Maybe have two small bulbs and put one of them on the PID thermostat.

A rheostat installed in the light circuit is handy. I don't now if they make an affordable thermostatically-controlled rheostat though.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Just FYI, I live in central coastal Florida. Highs about 85°F Lows about 70°F, but variable.

You won't need heat past three weeks, if that long.

What exactly do I look for in a 150Watt heater bulb? Is that exactly what it's called?

I use red 75, 125, or 250 watt bulbs, depending on the season. all I could find locally was a 250 watt bulb, I had to go online to order them. All incandescent type bulbs radiate heat, that's why they are used to provide heat. Many of us use red. Chicks or chickens can become cannibals, especially if they see blood or raw sores, the red color is supposed to hide that color. Other colors, including white works too. What you are after is something that provides heat. Some people use dimmers to reduce heat input.

At 4'-9" you can heat one end and let the other cool down to ambient as long as the heat source isn't too strong. You would need ventilation up high so the heat can escape. 1'-9" is plenty tall enough. The size should be big enough to keep 6 bantams longer than you need to temperature-wise. Whether your coop is ready is a different question.

By the time they are 2 weeks old they will easily be able to fly more than 2' up. Well, not the silkies because they can't fly. You might want a frame with hardware cloth to fit over that. Some of those holes in the sides look big enough they can get through them too so the hardware cloth there is a good idea. You are talking bantam size chicks.

Instead of a heat lamp you can use a heat plate or heating pad cave. Those would work well for 6 bantam chicks. Some heat plates are only rated for above 50 ambient but you are well covered there. A lot of people really like the heating pad caves. Those are made with the kind you use on your back but you need one that does not have an automatic shut-off. Blooie has a nice thread on here on how to set up the heating pad but I lost my links and photos in a recent computer crash so I can't help you with that.

 

[Tonyroo]

This what I use since I'm in a mild climate.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

Thank you. What exactly do I look for in a 150Watt heater bulb? Is that exactly what it's called? I presume it's not a red bulb. Sorry for all the questions but I know next to nothing!

They sell speciality ones made for chicks but I've even used regular BR style, clear outdoor incandescent lamps to keep chicks warm here in SC.

 

[FredHill]

You're handy. It looks really nice.

Regular incandescent bulbs are fine and are available in a range of wattages. I start with 60w or 75w and then reduce to 40 watt. Incendescent bulds are getting hard to find though. I hope they don't disappear completely in the future.

I wouldn't be turning the light off and on too much. Maybe have two small bulbs and put one of them on the PID thermostat.

A rheostat installed in the light circuit is handy. I don't now if they make an affordable thermostatically-controlled rheostat though.

Thank you. I love compliments!

 

[FredHill]

They sell speciality ones made for chicks but I've even used regular BR style, clear outdoor incandescent lamps to keep chicks warm here in SC.

So basically just incandescent light bulbs?

 

[FredHill]

This what I use since I'm in a mild climate.
View attachment 3093906

OK! So I know what to look for! Thank you! And I think they're cheaper than the red bulbs.

 

[FredHill]

You won't need heat past three weeks, if that long.


I use red 75, 125, or 250 watt bulbs, depending on the season. all I could find locally was a 250 watt bulb, I had to go online to order them. All incandescent type bulbs radiate heat, that's why they are used to provide heat. Many of us use red. Chicks or chickens can become cannibals, especially if they see blood or raw sores, the red color is supposed to hide that color. Other colors, including white works too. What you are after is something that provides heat. Some people use dimmers to reduce heat input.

At 4'-9" you can heat one end and let the other cool down to ambient as long as the heat source isn't too strong. You would need ventilation up high so the heat can escape. 1'-9" is plenty tall enough. The size should be big enough to keep 6 bantams longer than you need to temperature-wise. Whether your coop is ready is a different question.

By the time they are 2 weeks old they will easily be able to fly more than 2' up. Well, not the silkies because they can't fly. You might want a frame with hardware cloth to fit over that. Some of those holes in the sides look big enough they can get through them too so the hardware cloth there is a good idea. You are talking bantam size chicks.

Instead of a heat lamp you can use a heat plate or heating pad cave. Those would work well for 6 bantam chicks. Some heat plates are only rated for above 50 ambient but you are well covered there. A lot of people really like the heating pad caves. Those are made with the kind you use on your back but you need one that does not have an automatic shut-off. Blooie has a nice thread on here on how to set up the heating pad but I lost my links and photos in a recent computer crash so I can't help you with that.

Thank you! I think I'll try the incandescent heat bulbs recommended by Tonyroo and one other.