heat problem!

[688peterl]

ive decided to use a huuuuge storage box as a brooder, and i have everything sorted out except for the heat! i know i need a heat lamp but i dont have a clue which one! there are so many types im confused.... reflector bulbs and stuff could somebody please explain...

Also, im only going to hatch 2 ducklings so i only need to provide heat for those, what type of heat lamp or which watt bulb do i need plz? remember its only for 2 ducklings

 

[Smartie_Pants]

Honestly, the only way to ensure you only get two ducklings is to incubate more than two eggs. Otherwise, you might end up with only one or no ducks. You have thought about this right?

For me, the regular 150 watt bulbs were always enough. I never saw a difference with the red bulbs, and I got a 250 watt and it was way to hot. That's just my experience though.

 

[688peterl]

You mean a 150w heat lamp bulb?

i got the egg thing sorted, im going to incubate 6 eggs, when i know which ones are fertilised and growing healthy i can just keep 2 of those and move the rest out of the incubator, at first i thought this was really cruel but its not really is it? i dont mean let them develop a lot then remove them from the incubator, i mean as soon as i know which are fertile which will be about a week after incubation, keep 2 and remove the rest

 

[Rainstorm]

Quote:
theres still alot of problems that could happen and still not end up with 2, just me but i would try maybe 4 or 5 then just give the extras away

 

[CityChicker]

Your plan sounds good in theory, but if you want 2 and only 2 ducklings- consider ordering them rather than hatching them. Of course, if you really want to hatch them out yourself- give it a shot! Just know that a lot can go wrong and two fertile and developing eggs doesn't necessarily equal two ducklings hatched successfully.

On the brooder set up, there are a number of different things that will work. Almost any container will work. We use large rubbermaid containers and provide heat from the 150 watt red bulbs that you can get at places like Petsmart. I have also found that the 250's that are just too hot most often.

 

[CityChicker]

Quote:
theres still alot of problems that could happen and still not end up with 2, just me but i would try maybe 4 or 5 then just give the extras away

How funny! We must have been typing at the same time! LOL, my thoughts exactly. There is too much potential to hatch out only one duckling and single ducklings are just not happy (IMO). If you were to get stuck with just one OP, then finding another one this time of year can be kind of hard. That is why I said maybe just order 2 from some place like Metzers (or local if you can find them) rather than try to hatch 2.

 

[geosheets]

Quote:
I personally like the red bulbs... If I have lots of ducks in the brooder I use the 250W which you can buy from Lowes/Home Depot/Menards. You can also get the red bulbs in lower wattages(50W & 100W I think) from pet stores(they use them in reptile cages). I hang my light from a stick above the brooder and created links out of zip ties so that I can easily adjust the height as needed. Seems to work well for me.

 

[688peterl]

would this heat bulb be OK:

http://www.gardencentre.co.uk/product.asp?id=7427&sr=gbase&ad=7427

???

 

[688peterl]

I just figured out a great way to get the heat right! im gonna buy a dress rail which i can suspend the heat lamp from and i will be able to move the lamp up and down easily to change the heat

 

[688peterl]

On ebay they are loads of different heat lamp bulbs but they are all for lizards! would they be ok for ducklings?