Does My Brooder set-up look okay (previously Hot,hot,hot)

[texas_chick]

My chicks (only 5 total) are to arrive Tuesday and I set up the brooder today and am testing the light/heat.
I am using a big guinea pig cage and put cardboard all around it as a draft shield.
I got a lamp and red heat bulb from the feed store.
I was using an outdoor thermometer underneath and it quickly rose to 120 degrees even with me suspending the lamp from the ceiling.

If I suspend it even higher I will just end up heating the whole house!

I am thinking of getting a lower wattage infrared bulb from the pet store.
Would that work or is there anything specific about the ones you get at the feed store (they only seem to come in the high watt/ big bulb version)
SEE UPDATE ON PAGE 2

 

[halo]

I just use a regular 100 watt light bulb.

 

[Bettacreek]

Ditto what Halo said. $2 for a pack of four instead of like $4 for one bulb. That way you have extras in case your bulb blows (believe me, you'll want extras on hand!) Mine are also 100watt, though some use as low as 60.

 

[shelleyb1969]

I actually use a 60 watt full spectrum reptile bulb in my brooder. It gives plenty of heat, plus since it's full spectrum it mimics sunlight. I like to think that it's more natural...as close as I can get to them being outside in the sunshine.

 

[enola]

Make sure that there is enough space for the chicks to get away from the heat source. If they get over heated they will move away from the heat. A guinea pig cage might not be large enough to allow them to move away. Over heating them will cause dehydration, which is deadly to chicks.

 

[cmom]

I use a 60 watt incandescent bulb in my brooder lamp. Also I have a wireless digital thermometer so I can monitor the temperature when I'm in the house.The light doesn't seem to bother the chicks. They still eat, drink, sleep and poop. They find their own comfort zone in the brooder.

 

[texas_chick]

Quote:
It's very big for a gp cage - about 4 feet long. I was putting the lamp on one end. Do you think that's enough to get away?

 

[RendonRoo]

Are you getting your chicks thru a hatchery? If so you could possibly get up to a dozen packing peanuts(extra males for warmth). I didn't realize this when i ordered and ended up with 7 extras. Just wanted to give you a heads up if you wern't aware. Good Luck and welcome to BYC

 

[birdsofparadise]

GE offers a 100 watt white heat bulb for installation in bathroom fixtures. You still need a porcelain socket, but it has less than half the heat of the 250 watt lamp.

 

[Zahboo]

I use a 75 watt in my small brooder (one of the 5 buck sterilite tubs) and it keeps it 92-94 right under the light and about 84 farthest from the light