Heat lamp

[chickenlady81]

I was wondering what everyone uses for heat in the brooders for their chicks? Mine are on a 250 heat lamp and I cannot even have it close to the brooder because it provides so much heat but a 90 watt bulb seems to be not enough and they huddle all together and I worry about the little ones getting squished...Any advice?

 

[chrisarvor]

I have my chicks a a wooden box with 75 watt bulbs ,i can use two at a time but as its warm here i only have the one on
They all are doing fine

 

[whillo]

I use a red 250 too. I tried the white lights and it just seemed so bright, so I went back to the heat lamp but bought a dimmer switch so I can lower it now and then. Our weather here has been all over the place. Sometimes they need it pumped up, sometimes not.

 

[cletus the rooster]

zoo meds makes red heat lamps in different wattages.i use the 150W then switch to a 75W as needed

 

[azygous]

I use a 100 watt with a red cloth under it, draped over the brooder. Adding another red cloth at bedtime, dims things even further. Keep a couple inches between the cloth and the bulb. It keeps things between 75 and 80.

 

[Willow's Meadow]

You could try a 100 or 150 ww heat lamp. I use a red 250 ww heat lamp and have no problems. Although the brooder is in the cold basement so that does affect it and balance it out.

 

[chickenlady81]

So most of you use a red light? I have them on a white heat lamp and it does seem so bright for them at night, do they not get the rest they need?

 

[kipper]

We have our small brooder indoors, so I think that should be considered in what is used. We use 100 watt red landscaping bulbs. Not the energy efficient kind, but the sort that put out heat. We suppliment the first week or so with an oil filled electric heater (the kind similar to a radiator) if needed. This year has been cold, so we have it on right now for our new chicks. 250 watt bulbs for indoor use scare me and get way too hot for our little brooder.

I am intrigued by the 150 watt bulbs mentioned. That would reduce or eliminate the need for additional heat. Next time?

 

[whillo]

I agree Kipper. The heat lamps scare me too! I just checked out the ZooMed on Amazon and found this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQCQO/ref=pd_luc_hashrec_04_02

It's a ceramic heat emitter that has no light, which I thought would be good to get the girls used to... darkness. It also looks safer, but then I've never even seen one before, just looking at the pics. Anyone ever use one? This one is 150W.

 

[cletus the rooster]

whillo
i use the ZooMed 150 watt red light.the chicks have plenty of sunlight thru the window during the day and the red is almost dark at night

.did not try the heat emitter because i could not get a solid number on actual temperature output from the seller or the ZooMed website.the seller was very helpful with the red lights.he tested both bulbs at the heights i specified before i agreed to buy them. 150W is 95 at 18 inches above the floor.the 75W is 95 at 12 inches above the floor.i use aquariums of different sizes for brooders.