Heat Lamp

[tec27]

Okay so i was told to buy a 250 watt red heat lamp bulb for my chicks. How do people use this lamp? The temperature got to 200 degrees in 5 minutes. Do you put them on a dimmer switch?

 

[ninnyeggs]

No no switch for me I put it up away from them. Mine never got that hot though and they have a ton of space to get away from it if they want to but they don't and its a foot and a hlaf off their floor. But I have them outside but we live in vegas so its not cold and I have a part that is covered for them. As long as they have space to get away they will be fine. I put my hand on top of their head to see just how warm it is. Good luck

 

[Hippie Chicks Mom]

Should be about 90 degrees first week. Too much heat will kill them. As previous post said, move it away until you have the right temp and be sure they have a place to get away if it gets too warm. I put mine on one corner and leave the other area of the box for them to move away from the heat as they need it. Should be at least 18" above them.

 

[csummer8882]

We had the same lamp and had to get a smaller wattage after the first 2 weeks. Just got too hot. Good luck!

 

[serenityNH]

I use the same bulb in my brooder also. I hung it from a hook in the ceiling with a light weight chain, that way it's easy to adjust and won't fall ( I have an extra clip on it just in case tho). When I was testing it out before our chicks came I had it clipped to the side of the brooder and it was definitely too hot. Now it's perfect!

Good Luck!

 

[Chickeninthemeadow]

This time of year, you're probably better off with a 100 watt bulb. If you're worried about it not being red (which helps prevent pecking) then pick up some red auto tape (the kind you repair broken break light covers on your car) and tape that over the brooder dome.

 

[billfields]

Quote:
Same thing. I went with a 150 watt bulb from Petsmart that is for reptiles. They come in red as well although my chicks were fine without it. By the third week I went to a regular 100 watt bulb that was mostly for light not heat, started turning it out at night at 3 1/2 weeks and at 4 they went to the coop. But that's East Tennessee where it is pretty warm.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Unless your brooder is out in the barn and it is snowing, 250 watt bulb is too much.

I use a 100 watt exterior spot light. I choose that one because it won't explode if water gets splashed on it.

My brooder is out in the garage and it freezes at night, so I use 2 100 watt bulbs in a large brooder. Then, I've got a hood over the brooder at night to keep the heat from escaping upward. The birds have a large area so they can move far away from the light bulbs or get close, depending upon whether they are warm or chilly.

 

[buckabucka]

We put ours on a dimmer.