Heat light

[Kassaundra]

We are getting our first chicks Wend. and are setting up their new temp baby home today. I just need a little clarification, we keep the spot warm w/ a light, but they need it to be kept warm for several weeks, so does the constant 24/7 light for weeks hurt them, or should there be a different heat source so the light can be turned off sometimes?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
You can use a 250 watt heat lamp bulb in a ceramic base (they sell at TSC for $8) but the bulb should be RED. The chicks can sleep better in red light than in white. Some people use reptile heaters, but I never have, so I can't tell you anything about using them for chickens.
You should keep a thermometer in the brooder so that you know what the temperatures are and can adjust them as needed. Then decrease the heat by five degrees each week. When they arrive, they should be at 90/95 degrees for the first week. Make sure they have room enough in the brooder to get out of the heat if it's too hot for them as individuals. Keep the waterer away from the heat to keep the water cool.
Good luck with your new babies!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Some people buy the red heat light because it discourages picking. I always just use at least two 100 regular watt bulbs (so if one burns out in the middle of the night they don't die).

Also make sure you have at least two ways they are connected to the support so they don't fall and start a fire. I just don't worry about the amount of light. They sleep anyway! They have to have the heat.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

This is a wonderful resource from MyPetChicken.com for new chick owners: http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-care/guide-toc.aspx
This excerpt is from Chapter 4, "Caring for Chicks"
"A heat source
Baby chicks need to be kept pretty hot. Think sauna! The first week of their lives they require an air temperature of 95 degrees, the second week 90 degrees, and so on - going down by 5 degrees per week until they're ready to transition to "outside". A 250-watt infrared heat lamp is the best way to achieve this, placed right in the middle of their living area and suspended off the ground. The height of the light will depend on what it takes to achieve your target temperature.

We recommend a red heat bulb for a few reasons: one, with a bright white light constantly glaring it can be hard for them to sleep. The red light is darker and provides them some respite. Two, red lights help prevent them from pecking one another. We sell both red and white heat bulbs plus the brooder lamps.

Pay close attention to how your chicks behave. If they're all crowded together directly under the heat source, they're cold. Lower the heat lamp or add another one. If they're around the edges of the brooder, avoiding the heat and each other like the plague, they're too hot! Raise the heat lamp. A happy flock will happily be exploring all around the brooder.

And please do not listen to anyone that tells you a regular old 60 watt bulb will suffice! We've seen chicks die from this bad advice. They really need a lamp intended to produce heat, and as we've mentioned, we recommend the 250-watt variety."

 

[Kassaundra]

Thanks for the quick reply, red 250 infarred it is. I'm so excited, I've had them ordered for over a month, but had to wait for hatch day which was today, called the hatchery this a.m. just to make sure everything was still happening today w/o any problems. (I could hear the lady "smile" on the phone).

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Another little tip is to make a call to the post office letting them know you're expecting peepers in the mail and that you'd like to be called AT ANY TIME to come and pick them up. My post office called me at 5:45am and I was more than happy to be woken up for that!

 

[sharol]

I started with a 250, but by the 2nd week, I couldn't get it far enough away to keep the temp at 90, so I bought a red heat light that was 100w, and then I lowered it a bit. The important thing is that the chicks have a warm spot and some cooler areas. I wrestled with the temperature for several days before they arrived, too.

 

[gavinandallison]

We used a red bulb and lamp from Petsmart, worked well for us..... We left it on 24/7 for about 4 weeks, then eased it away until nolonger needed...

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
Put our local post office on High alert today, but they don't get there until 7:15 so thankfully no 5 am calls in the morning for me!!!! lol, couldn't find a 250 watt so got 2 100 watt, but the one heats it to 95'.