Heat lamp

[Dill]

A heat lamp is the same thing as a brooder, right? And what watt lightbulb should be put in it?

 

[birdsofparadise]

Technically, a heat lamp is used to heat a brooder which is an enclosure meant to house young chicks safely.

As for lamps, a 250 watt infrared heat lamp is usually suggested. Large brooders in cold climates may take two fixtures. Be sure to put it in a reflector with a porcelain socket and insure that the power cord does not come into contact with the bulb or reflector which can get quite hot. Using standard reflectors with heat lamps is a fire hazard.

 

[Dill]

wow 250 watts?? Is that for when they're very young? Because I've raised ducklings (its been a couple yrs since my last ones) and I think I used a 90 or 100 watt.. that's what my dad said they needed, I assumed he was right. And sometimes they were a little too warm withonly a 90 or 100 watt.

 

[birdsofparadise]

Try putting down a thermometer on the floor of the brooder half way between the center of the light reflector and the wall of the brooder. The first week you have chicks, that temp should be between 90 & 95 degrees. If a 100 watt lamp will give you that result, use it. But unless your brooder is really small, Iʻm guessing youʻll want the bigger lamp. They cost the same to purchase, you need the same porcelain fixture for each, only the cost of the electricity goes up with the wattage. Each week thereafter, raise the lamp until the temp goes down by 5 degrees. Again, this is easier with a 250 watt lamp rather than a 100. If the chicks are clustered under the light, its too cod for them. If they are spread evenly around the brooder doing their chick thing, its probably just right. If they are up against the walls, its too hot and the light must be raised.

 

[hinkjc]

For outdoor brooders and even sometimes ones in the garage, a 250 watt may be necessary when they're very little. If your brooder is inside the house, a lower watt bulb can be used.

The best way to determine what watt bulb you need is to measure the temperature of the brooder and make sure it is the right temp for your chicks. I have found a 250 watt is too hot to use in the house.

Jody

 

[TaLani]

Quote:
Dill, try reading what's in this link. It has a lot of helpful info.

http://www.mypetchicken.com/ebook.aspx

 

[PaisleyFrog]

My wife and I were just dealing with the whole bulb wattage issue, since some places say 100 watt and others say a 250 watt heat lamp. We ended up using a 250 watt bulb, as the 100 watt bulb only got the temp up to about 88 degrees or so. You’ll need to get a thermometer and test what works best.

The 250 watt bulb is able to get above 95 degrees pretty easily, so I installed a dimmer on the cord. That way, I don’t have to raise the lamp to lower the temp, just dial it back a bit. The day-old occupants are currently at a steady 90-95 degrees right now.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I have jumbo coturnix quail chickies that hatched today. They are in a 15 gal aquarium in my basement with a 150 watt heat lamp and it is averaging 95-100 degrees. I started with a 75 watt and it didn't do it. My basement is about 60 degrees. If your brooder is outside and it's cold (didn't see where you lived) you'd definitely need a 250.

 

[cmom]

You can use a heat lamp or regular incandesant bulb. The main thing it to keep the brooder around 95 degrees for the first week then decrease the temp 5 degrees each week after that. I have a wireless digital thermometer in the brooder to monitor the temp.

 

[birdsofparadise]

Quote:
Great idea, but make sure that the dimmer is rated for the full 250 watts. A lot of them top out at 75 or 100 watts. 250 would cause them to heat up and potentially become a fire hazard.