Holy Crap! My brooder lamp exploded!!!

[dwegg]

wow that is scary...glad the babies are ok...glad you were home...would hate for the chicks to pick at the glass pieces...

 

[ranchhand]

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Wow.

That's a pretty broad bush you're painting with.



Jonny, glad you were there when it happened and that the chicks are okay. I found a 100 watt, red, outdoor flood light at an Ace Hardware store. It's just like the outdoor flood lights on about every house around, but red. Since I brood inside, it's been the perfect incubator bulb, and very sturdy. I use the same metal holder and ceramic socket.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Wow. I've had the big 250s blow out, but never had one blow up.

I mostly have gone over to the 125s now with the brooder hover. Mostly I use the big ones for those rare times when I need to use heat from an overhead position such as I'm doing right now in one of my growout pens. There I turn the light off first and allow it to cool before trying to unscrew the bulb.

 

[carladababe]

Alright, now I'm a little freaked. I have a UL- approved heat lamp with the ceramic socket and a red 250 watt bulb for my brooder. I will be home for the first full week after I pick up my chickies from the hatchery but then I have to go back to work over the weekend. I am concerned over fire safety. I have been listening to these posts on reptile heat lamps versus what I already have. What is considered the safest? I rather spend the extra money for peace of mind.

 

[Iheartchicks<3:)]

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I laughed so hard when i read this. I dont know why but im cracking up!

Hope this doesnt offend anyone!

 

[Luvducks]

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THIS sounds like the Way to go! Thank you Very Much!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I know you have already found a solution OP, but I thought I would mention that I had a heat lamp explode when I used it outdoors under a tarp and it was raining.

The glass shattered into the coop I was trying to keep warm but it didn't injure chicks.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

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After using both for many years, I will ONLY use the ceramic heat emitters now for both safety reasons and because I don't think chicks need a light shining in their eyes 24/7. See my post above about their day/night cycle.

 

[carladababe]

Thank you for the safety info, I 'll look into the heat emitters. Can you help me with the day/night cycle please. I read to give the chicks 14 hours of light giving them 10 hours of dark. Now I'm a little confused, how does your system work?

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

With the heat emitters you can regulate the light easily.

I give them about a week to eat and drink day and night by leaving on a lamp with a 60 watt bulb on the desk in the room that they are housed in. On about day 7, I start turning that lamp off at night between 9 and 10 pm but do leave a nightlight on across the room.

I turn back on the lamp in the room at 6:00 a.m. and leave it on during the day. I keep the curtains closed in the room because my incubator and hatcher are in there and well and I want to keep the temp as steady as possible.

So they get about 9 hours of darkness per day.

The contrast between these babies and those that I used to raise with a lightbulb as a heat source is remarkable. They are not as "jittery", much more laid back...don't freak out when the light is turned off, etc...