How many watts?

[swatskee]

my chicks are 3 days old so 95-100 is perfect

 

[Fred's Hens]

Integrating is a pain in the rear. I'd strongly advise getting your flock together now. I find it much more simple to get a few more than I want, sat 8 instead of 6, then give away or sell the surplus down the road. Sometimes, unfortunately, there are also losses.

A grow out pen needs to provide 4 sq ft per bird. Or 3 birds per square meter, minimum.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
Nice website blog you have going. Congrats on your little flock. Have you considered using something other than newsprint for the bottom of the brooder?

 

[swatskee]

Fred's Hens :

Quote:
Nice website blog you have going. Congrats on your little flock. Have you considered using something other than newsprint for the bottom of the brooder?

The "news print" is out per the suggestion from members here and they are much happier just on the pine shaving for sure.​

 

[allpeepedout]

Quote:
I used a 125W red brooder light but hung inside a very large dog crate, fairly close to the chicks the first week (constantly checking temps with digital thermometer), with one end of the cage wrapped in cardboard. When it was very cold outside, like in the 20s, I added some foil-type insulation material on top of that end of the crate, since the room was unheated. So they had one toasty end, and a completely wide open cool end.

 

[allpeepedout]

Fred's Hens :

Quote:
Nice website blog you have going. Congrats on your little flock. Have you considered using something other than newsprint for the bottom of the brooder?

Sorry to divert from OP: But can you tell me any issues or problems with using newsprint after the first week or so on paper towels. I have raised mine to 6 weeks + successfully 100% on newspaper, and it seems a cheap and easy way to keep things very clean, with complete bedding changes in less than 5 minutes. No odor, no expense, less dust. They seem to be able to run, perch, balance on one leg, etc. They now have fun scratching up the top layers, making their own fluff, hunting for tidbits. First week I added cloth towels on top of paper towels so they had soft nest.​

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
Nice website blog you have going. Congrats on your little flock. Have you considered using something other than newsprint for the bottom of the brooder?

Sorry to divert from OP: But can you tell me any issues or problems with using newsprint after the first week or so on paper towels. I have raised mine to 6 weeks + successfully 100% on newspaper, and it seems a cheap and easy way to keep things very clean, with complete bedding changes in less than 5 minutes. No odor, no expense, less dust. They seem to be able to run, perch, balance on one leg, etc. They now have fun scratching up the top layers, making their own fluff, hunting for tidbits. First week I added cloth towels on top of paper towels so they had soft nest.

pm sent, as to not get too far afield from the wattage question of the OP.

 

[debid]

What kind of bulb did you buy? A 100W spot vs. flood vs. heat lamp vs. standard bulb all put out different amounts of heat at the same wattage and height.

I have a 100W infrared brooder bulb (Philips) set up for a test run and I'm getting 102 degrees at chick height directly under the light at 14" and with a 70-degree ambient temperature. Too hot! The fixed-height lamp fixture is a definite design flaw of this brooder box but I have a hanging fixture too and I'm switching over as soon as the bulb is cool enough to handle. I had hoped that 100W would be perfect right there and I could put 175W in the hanging fixture for overnight when the temperatures drop but it seems I may not need the 175W at all this time. But, I'll keep it in case I decide to brood a batch in February or something.

This is why test runs are SO.VERY.IMPORTANT.

 

[drdoolittle]

I have my chicks in a large dog crate that is apart-----I took the crate apart and put the top and bottom end to end and connected them. I have chicken wire covering the top (I have cats inside) and 2 reflector lamps, each with a 75 watt bulb. The room they are in is from 68 to 73 degrees. They are all doing fine.

As for the amount of chickens to keep-----I don't think there is a set number. It really depends how large a coop/run you have. But, once you start with chickens, it is hard to stop! I have all ages from 3 years down to just hatched (50-some in all).

 

[homesteadmomma]

Yikes, I started out wanting a dozen, planning on our 8+ egg per day addiction. But then I had quite a few people asking if I would be selling eggs, so I thought I better double that. Somehow with my math I have got 22 chicks ranging from about a week old to 3-4 weeks old, with 25 more on the way. Luckily we had two coops big enough for about 80, so if I feel the urge to buy a few more that I love.....