Heat lights...neccessary ?

[JimnJanet]

Quote:
Boy, i hear what yer sayin Lea, (sweet name, my bestestestest grambabies name

)
Anywho, ever since i started my chickaholic venture i've been diggin up a lot o' my old reptile stuff. I also have many many feet of under cage 3" and 12" wide heat tape i know i'll have a use for with my chickees.

Meet Leah, actualy, Eliyah.

PS, i still got snakes and tarantulas.Yesterday i moved my brooder, old reptile tank, next to one o' my snake tanks and during the night i got up to check on my babies and there was my big ole grey rat starin thru the glass at my babies. A piece o' paper quickly slid twixt the tanks fixed that lol.

 

[Texas Fluffy Feet]

Ooooohhhh Heat tape! I had forgotton about that stuff! I bet it would be handy with chickens too so long as they couldn't peck at it.
Your dog looks like a serious chicken protector and your little grand daughter is a doll! I bet she is loving all the baby chickies being around. My 4 year old sure is!
We still have a snow corn snake. He is 13 years old and the only reptile right now. I dearly miss my lizards though, especailly my bearded dragon. They were the most fun to breed. The talk of paper between the tanks brings back memories! LOL
DD has the animal lover bug pretty bad though so I am sure it is just a matter of time before more reptiles come through the door to stay.

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

Will a ceramic heater keep the brooder as warm as a 250 watt heat lamp? Mine are in the garage, and it still gets pretty chilly at night-high 30s to mid 40s.

 

[Cetawin]

I have an infrared heat lamp bulb, red in color and it stays on 24/7 but during the day, I turn on the overhead light for them about 6 am and it stays on until around 7pm....so they are snoozing more during the night hours and playing during the 'light' hours.

 

[Texas Fluffy Feet]

Rte.66_chicks :

Will a ceramic heater keep the brooder as warm as a 250 watt heat lamp? Mine are in the garage, and it still gets pretty chilly at night-high 30s to mid 40s.

The ceramic heaters come in different wattages and they will indeed keep the brooder as warm as a 250 watt heat lamp. My brooder is in the garage too and I started out with a 250 watt heat lamp. We have had a warm up going on here so I switched down to my 100 watt ceramic heater and I was surprised how far away I had to move the lamp to get the chickies cool enough. The ceramic heaters do indeed get plenty hot!

I have an infrared heat lamp bulb, red in color and it stays on 24/7 but during the day, I turn on the overhead light for them about 6 am and it stays on until around 7pm....so they are snoozing more during the night hours and playing during the 'light' hours.

Cetawin, I do have to say I miss the red glow at night when I go to peek on the peeps since the ceramic heaters do not put off any light.​

 

[Meesh]

I don't remember where I read it, but somewhere it said that if they have light at night, they will eat more at night and have better weight gain. I don't know if it matters as much for home flocks...

Cheers,
Michelle

 

[ebonykawai]

Rte.66_chicks :

Will a ceramic heater keep the brooder as warm as a 250 watt heat lamp? Mine are in the garage, and it still gets pretty chilly at night-high 30s to mid 40s.

Yes if you get the 250 watt ceramic they will be fine. I use a 165 watt for my rubbermaid brooder.​

 

[ebonykawai]

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I have a night light for mine right now, just 15 watts. It's enough to see the food and water but not enough to stimulate them. Mine are on a very good and predictable sleep/wake pattern. They sleep mainly when it gets dark, but still eat and drink, and are very active during the day. They are all fat and happy.