Heat lamp

[suburbanchick]

I'm putting my chicks outside tonight for the first time. I'm thinking that I'd like to get a light that puts off more heat than the mechanic's light with the 60 watt bulb.

I can't get a large heat lamp bc my coop is so small. I need something small that I can hang from the ceiling.

Can I get one of the reptile heat lamps from the pet store? Or is that too much heat? I don't have a feed store in my town.

Any quick advice would be great, as I need to run to the store now.

Thanks!

 

[Blake]

just up the wattage on the light bulb. i commonly use 75 or 100 watt bulbs for mine.i will also step down the wattage on them as the babies get older.

 

[suburbanchick]

Great, that's what I did... I got a 75 watt in there now and it's staying about 70 degrees when it's 50 outside. Perfect!

 

[allen wranch]

Do they have plenty of ventilation for your size coop ?

 

[suburbanchick]

Yes, I left the door cracked last night (bc it leads to their secure run) and it still stayed around 65 - 70 all night.

In the summer I will leave the door completely open at night.

The girlies were happy as could be this morning and for the first time will be able to spend the day outside!

I did have a tough time getting them inside the coop last night when it was time to shut the door. There are problems with the way the chicken tractor was designed. I can't easily get to the door, or get them in.

We will remedy this in the coming days by putting a removable porthole of some time in the wire run. It'll make more sense when I post pics later today.

 

[justusnak]

suburbanchick....you can try to coax themin the coop area with a little treat...call them, and throw the treat on the coop floor. Good luck! It works for mine!