Feed store guy said -

[Urban Chaos]

I dont need a heat lamp for my newly hatched chicks as long as my house dosnt get below 70 degrees. What do ya'll think? I've always used a heat lamp in one corner of the brooder - is it necessary? Is a heating pad ok? (my bulb broke so I'd have to go get a new one if I'm going to use the heat lamp) What about a goose-neck table lamp with a regular bulb?

 

[aggie9296]

70 degress is too cold for newly hatched chickes. a regular bulb might be fine if wattage high enough. monitor the temp and adjust bulb accordingly.

most of our feed stores around here keep chicks under regular light bulbs whaile waiting to sell them.

 

[Fowl_Odor002]

I raised 7 pullets this year. For the first 2 weeks I kept them in a cardboard box under the kitchen table with only a regular florecent light.
I put them under a 250 watt heat light after I moved them outdoors during week#3.
Here is my Brooder Page.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=98777-off-the-brooder-page

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I think chicks should have the option of getting under a heat source/heat lamp if they are feeling a chill. However, this time of year in the South? A 250 watt brooder bulb would not be necessary. The reflector with clamp walmart sells for about $8 and you can use a lower wattage household lightbulb, experiment with 100W and lower until your chicks seem comfortable. When I had a single chick in the house recovering and had no way to safely attach one of my brooder lamps, I used my gooseneck desk lamp with a 100W bulb.

If you go the reflector/bulb combination, don't rely on the clamp to hold it. The clamps fail and/or are knocked off easily.

 

[speckledhen]

I should never click on any thread that starts with "Feed store guy said -".

No, they need higher temps than 70 degrees. If indoors and out of drafts, a high wattage regular bulb will probably be enough.

 

[Clay Mudd]

Quote:
I LOLed.

It's true, though -- feed store guys say the darnedest things!

 

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
I LOLed.

It's true, though -- feed store guys say the darnedest things!

3x's! He's not very good at his job. If I were his boss I'd want him to SELL you a new bulb. Underneath a hen it isn't 70 degrees, so why would 70 degrees be ok for day olds without a hen? OY!

 

[appychick]

Heat pad works fine if you have one that will stay on-not the kind with automatic shutoff in one Hr.....I prefer a heat pad for the bantams & they seem to do better for me. Just make sure the pad /box allows for an area for the chicks to get off the pad if it should get too warm. Also if you have just a few chicks,desk lamps work fine . Or even a low wattage light bulb(40-60 W) in a heat lamp set up if you can move it in close. If the chicks start chirping continuosly,usually means they are cold.

 

[saddina]

My house is 90 during the day, so the bulb is off and on at night when it cools. durning cooler months, all day long bulbage (I use a 100 watt in a reptile heating fixture from the pet store).

 

[aggie9296]

Quote:
Uh...on purpose?