How hot is to hot?

[Yetti]

Been working on coop designs and the single 250w heat bulb has mine at 100*F on the bottom surface ( I laid a big yard thermometer there) any ways its about 24" off the bottom of the coop and seemed a bit much to me. How hot should I be looking for at the bottom surface of a 4'x 5' space?

 

[The Duck ABC's]

You don't need that much wattage, and there is a fire risk with those red bulbs. They also tend to explode and shader if water gets splashed onto them. At 2 feet I start off with a regular white 100 watt light bulb. That one I reduce as I need less. You are looking for about 90-95 degrees for the first 3 days. Then 85-90 for the next 3, and even less after that. My 2 week old gosling is off heat right now, but he lives in my kitchen where it is about 70 degrees.

 

[The Duck ABC's]

Forgot to mention.
You don't want to heat the entire area. They need an area to get away from the heat to regulate their body temp. So one side only for providing the heat.

 

[Yetti]

sounds like I may have too much? as is I set the bulb on an angle looking away from the end where the geese sleep. they tend to stretch out like cats when its really warm lol. when I checked the temp its only 85* under the bulb where it shone down directly on the thermometer.