@chickisoup
Could you elaborate more on #4? I never had these issues before and I'm trying to relate. The way I understand it is you want a light fixture with 2 lamp sockets -- one for the heat lamp and one for a standard light bulb. The white light turns on when it gets dark out and the purpose is to extend daylight. To save energy, the white light turns off during the day. The red light turns on if it's too cold regardless if it's day or night. Did I get that right?
Can anyone else add to this idea?
Oops,sorry. I realize I didn't properly express what I was thinking. I do not use heat " lamps" at all as I consider them far too dangerous. (Check out the chicken whisperer' s FB page. He posts all the coop fires started by heat lamps every year. He's already posted several for just this year) So my heat and light sources are separate. I think I mentioned before I have a radiant heater in my coop that can be set to automatically turn on at/near 32o and off at 45o with multiple other choices if needed. In the brooder I use a Brinsea heater now but am looking into a Sweeter Heater. I brood in the house and using a heat lamp inside is just not safe.
Currently for light in my coop I have a 4watt CFL (25watt) on a timer that goes on at 6am and off at 6pm. (Had 9watt CFL but it too bright for my light coop) . In the brooder I just use a clip on dimmable lamp with a soft daylight bulb. What I envisioned was possibly an. LED or LCD light unit that could be set to a high wattage output for a programmed time and then would automatically switch to a soft , very low watt "nightlite" and then back up again in the morning.. A built in GFI would be a nice addition for those who don't have another option.
Sorry for the confusion, I just don't think in terms of "standard" lightbulbs anymore.