Holy Heat Lamp Batman!

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Hey, Speckled! Your cute title is back! How'd that happen?

 

[speckledhen]

It's back? Where, where?! Oh, you mean rather than BANNED like on April Fools' Day? Hehehe. They get some dust on them, but I've never had any problems, just blow the dust off from time to time.

 

[JaciesCoop]

I'm so glad to see this thread on lighting! And I'm so glad to see speckledhen answering questions because I trust her advice so much.
I have my brooder in the guest bedroom (obviously no guest allowed right now) because I can keep them away from the dog and cats that way.
I had a 250 heat lamp on a tripod and they were doing fine as I was raising it. But today the 6 girls seemed to be staying at the other end of the brooder all day. And I couldn't raise it any more. So I've lowered the tripod and put in a incandescent 100 watt bulb. It's keeping the temp between 90 and 95 but I just went in to check on them and they are huddled down at the light end.
They are 1 1/2 week olds.
My question is what exactly is the safe temp. range for babies this age and up. I know they say 95 the 1st week, 90, then 85 etc etc but what is a safe overall range and how old do they have to be before they can go out in their coop and run with a heat lamp on at night.
I'm in AZ but not in the valley. Up in the Verde Valley and we still have very cool nights. Down in the 40's.

Thanks in advance for answers.
Jacie

Oh and I would LOVE to see the pics in your purse!

 

[speckledhen]

Jacie, actually the temp range that is best is whatever makes them act like they are comfortable, milling around the brooder, eating and drinking, sleeping side by side, but not piled on top of each other like they are desperately cold. Observe them and they will tell you when they're comfy and warm enough.
I have a nursery coop that isn't drafty and I have a false ceiling that I can lower to make the 9 ft ceiling be a 5 ft ceiling over the babies' area. Then under that, I hang two heat lamps a couple of feet apart, in case one goes out at night, so they won't be left without heat. If it's in the 40's at night, I might put them out at three weeks old with a 250 watt and a 150 watt bulb (I have a great ultraviolet red reptile heat bulb a nice customer bought for me).
The pics I have in my purse are just a collage of pics of Suede and his ladies printed from my computer at home. I've posted them all here at one time or another. Had occasion to show a guy at the flea market who had chickens what a Blue Orpington was last weekend.

 

[rooster-red]

I'm using a simple light switch dimmer to regulate heat from my heat lamp.

That way the lamp always stays in the same place, just adjust the dimmer to regulate heat.

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
Thats what I do. Dimmer switch and a 100W bulb...

 

[JaciesCoop]

Quote:

That's what my common sense told me but sometimes I can't always rely on it!

They seem to be doing fine and are milling around. Not bunched up and they temp seems to be more even all over the brooder so I think this will work fine.

The dimmer switch is a good idea but this makes it easy for me to mount the lamp over the brooder with the tripod.

Take care everyone
Jacie

 

[healingdeva]

My husband hooked ours up to a dimmer switch as well. We were then able to control the amount of light and therefore the heat from the light. It worked beautifully. They are now 5 weeks old and we moved them to the new coop yesterday and we have the light on full for the moment. It was really nice to have the control without having to move the light up and down.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Good idea on the adjustable dimmer. I'll have to rig something up. That will be loads easier than moving the lamp!
Thanks!

 

[Flufnstuffs~FluffySilkies]

I use a 100 Watt yellow bug light.. Looks like a normal light bulb only yellow

Its easier on the eyes and won't atract bugs.