Heat lamp advise please

[The Accidental Coop]

Another weak moment....found myself driving home from Tractor Supply with three very tiny Bantams. Most likely fresh from a hatchery.

Question....Room temp is 72. Do I need a heat lamp?

P.S. all our other chickens arrived with feathers.....First time with little peeps

 

[SC Yankee]

eek, get heat lamp

day olds need temps around 95 deg. Lower the temp 5 deg a week until room temp. Atleast, that's what this newb has learned.

TSC has the 250W red heat lamp and a clamp on fixture to hold it. If it's to late to get one, try anything to raise the temps around them. Water bottle, heating pad, electric blanket under the brooder, etc. If the heat source you improvise isn't quite enough, put a towel/blanket over the box/brooder to retain what heat there is.

 

[ketcham]

I'd say yes....I have mine in a utitily sink.Wood shavings and a shrouded lamp.I put card board over the top to keep the heat in..60 watt bulb.I got 12,,they are all under it....If they get to hot they move away.Water and food also....Kevin

 

[The Accidental Coop]

Thanks! I have a 250w infrared bulb. Package states it is "ideal for heating animal habitats". The light is blinding....Does it affect their eyes?

 

[mommabice]

Yes, get it a heat lamp. I ended up needing two of them the first week to get the temp high enough. Now they are 4 weeks and the ambient temp in the house (around 75) is comfortable for them and me. After the first week you lower the temp by raising the lamp up a few inches.

 

[SC Yankee]

I would answer the question, but don't have the answer. I wondered the same, yet it seems the "standard" used and if it were a problem, I'd have to assume someone would have said something, somewhere. I just haven't seen it.

 

[musikfan6]

I'm using newspaper on top of my wood shavings until I think they are ready to handle it. The newspaper is wonderful for "insulation" and really helps keep our little ladies warm. Our's seem to be doing fine with this, so far.

eek, get heat lamp

day olds need temps around 95 deg. Lower the temp 5 deg a week until room temp. Atleast, that's what this newb has learned.

TSC has the 250W red heat lamp and a clamp on fixture to hold it. If it's to late to get one, try anything to raise the temps around them. Water bottle, heating pad, electric blanket under the brooder, etc. If the heat source you improvise isn't quite enough, put a towel/blanket over the box/brooder to retain what heat there is.

 

[Othylocke]

I have a 250 watt heat lamp with a clamp from TSC. It somehow fell into the wood chips and lit my house on fire.

This happened about an hour ago. The heat lamp had no trouble for the first six hours of use so...

Pro-tip = Make sure the clamp works well where you set it. I can only assume that something wasn't put on correctly.

 

[mikecnorthwest]

Yes on the heat lamp but be careful about the temp getting too high. In a controlled environment, i.e. inside your house, it's very easy for the heat lamp to spike the temps above 100. Just make sure that you have the ability to set the lamp high enough off the coop so you can control the heat. Also make sure to set it off to one side of the brooder so they have a warm zone and a cool zone .

 

[schamberfarms]

I have a sun porch where i was want to keep my chicks when they arrive next week will they be ok with heat lamps in the sun room temps here have been low 50 and 75 during day its all enclosed. What i Have until I get my milk house revamped.