How to keep the brooder temp up....

[will hunt for food]

My brood box is in my garage, so i am using the 250W heat lamp. I have it hanging from the ceiling in one corner of the box. I adjust the temp by hanging the reflector from a series of paperclips. It makes adjusting the lamp up or down very easy. I would not worry too much about the temperature not being EXACTLY 95 degrees, or EXACTLY some other temperature. Just try to be close without cooking the little guys (too early in life

).

 

[flopshot]

make sure the birds have the ability to leave the heat. i've seen some setups that looked like food warmers. chicks will self regulate if given the space to enter and leave the warm area. too much heat is as bad or worse than not enough.

 

[Davaroo]

AS noted by many, focused heat is important. The chicks want to congregate under it and be able to escape it as they wish, to seek a comfort zone.
They dont need to be baked, they need a warm spot.

Think about how you move in and out from a campfire to seek your comfort level and you get the idea.

Hanging the lamp in such way that it can be raised or lowered to adjust it soutput at floor level is a good way. Using a dimmer cord as I do is another.
The ulitmate is to use a hover, a hooded heat source. Think of a range top hood with a heat lamp, within the brood space, which you can raise or lower as needed and you are on the right track.
The chicks can run under or out as they need, and it confines the heat better.

And give some serious thought to red heat lamps.

 

[wordgirl]

Quote:
Good thinking! We wouldn't want to set the brooder on fire!

Take nothing for granted and always, always, have a back up.

In fact, make that your new motto and post it above your chicken areas:

"ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP."

My Dad was thinking the same thing, to make sure we don't get stuck with a dead bulb and a brooder full of cold chicks.

Wonderful advice!

 

[m2wandc]

We have a rubbermaid container as our brooder and a 250 red heat lamp (read too many negative things on white lights and lower watts) and it stays steady at 88 degrees pretty easily...95 seems a bit warm, everything I've read said 90 from the begining and then 5 degrees less each week...we're at 88 working out way to 85, because my chicks are nearly a week old now...

Hubby got a 125W and white light...because he thought the eletricity bill would shoot thru the roof, but I quickly returned them and got 250 red, it's such a short time and the lives of chicks are at stake, no time for DH to be Mr. Thrifty

 

[m2wandc]

Quote:
Or a nice warm spot in the ocean/pool...LOL