Help with heat lamp!

akrawli27

Hatching
Apr 13, 2020
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Hey guys!
I've been wanting to raise chicks for a while now, and I think I'm finally going to!
I already have a red bulb that I used to heat my rabbit's cage. It's probably 100 watts or somewhat near that.
Can I use that bulb? It also has a reflector so I think it should be fine?
But I don't know if the red light is okay?
 
Red light bulbs are better then the white light bulbs. Next step up would be a IR heat lamp they put out no visible light, let’s the chickens get on a better schedule sleep wise.

As with any heat lamp just monitor temps and keep temps in the right range.
 
I have both red and ceramic heat bulbs that put off no light. Prefer the ceramic heat bulb much better.
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Red light bulbs are better then the white light bulbs. Next step up would be a IR heat lamp they put out no visible light, let’s the chickens get on a better schedule sleep wise.

As with any heat lamp just monitor temps and keep temps in the right range.
Okay! Thanks
 
Hey guys!
I've been wanting to raise chicks for a while now, and I think I'm finally going to!
I already have a red bulb that I used to heat my rabbit's cage. It's probably 100 watts or somewhat near that.
Can I use that bulb? It also has a reflector so I think it should be fine?
But I don't know if the red light is okay?
Should be fine.

Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:

They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!


The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.
 
Hey guys!
I've been wanting to raise chicks for a while now, and I think I'm finally going to!
I already have a red bulb that I used to heat my rabbit's cage. It's probably 100 watts or somewhat near that.
Can I use that bulb? It also has a reflector so I think it should be fine?
But I don't know if the red light is okay?
Its a good idea to have a thermometer. A red light is ok but you need to know that you can adjust the temp to accommodate as chicks age. Ive always used a red heat bulb but i came on to ask if chickd see red light. They are in a metal pen (like tractor supply) but covered because its cooled in the basement...is that totally in the dark for them?
 

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