Nice note on the chick heat issue. Reminds me that there are still those of us who prefer to look into the brooder and observe the behavior of the chicks under and around the heat lamp. I know many people now are talking about the heating pads, etc... but I just don't like the idea of not being able to see the chicks under the pad. There are a number of posts of people finding dead chicks either under the pad, or outside the pad. Was it too hot? Was it not hot enough? At least with the heat lamp you can actually see what the chicks are doing.
Also, I liked the idea of using a dimmer switch extension cord. I have always just raised/lowered my heat bulbs, or switch to a different wattage, but I can see the advantage of using a dimmer. Great suggestion.
