I would love advice on my brooder under "construction"

[Sissy]

If you have your brooder in the house as I did I had a 60 watt bulb in the lamp the 250 watt would be too much heat.
and 10 chicks do give off their own heat..as they grow.
I also have a125 watt heat blub out in the big house which has done beautifully in all this cold we have had.
the water didnt freeze either, but i did refresh the ourside water with warm water. just my thoughts,

 

[mmtillman]

As we speak , my hubby is out in our new coop...installing the electric wiring.
He is puttin in a dimmer switch....that will be , he said, to control the temp...?? Is this a reliable method ?
Will it keep the temps constant enough in case I dont get out there for a few hours to check on them?? They wont even arrive here till April , so I dont expect the outside temps to be too bad by then....
The brooder box will be set up in our new coop up on a table with the light above it ? I am getting chicks for the first time

and am learning all I know from what I read on here

. So I trust your opinions !! Thanks!!

 

[grullablue]

I think I said I had two bulbs...a lower wattage too...I might have just thought I did...lol

But I have a 125 watt bulb too. I was hoping to get away with keeping this in my insulated garage, due to my allergies, but I will not if I can't keep the heat regulated. Once I get it set up as I would like it, I'm going to do a test run and see what the thermometer says. But that was another reason for the cover...to help keep heat in. I will also plan on picking up an extra bulb of each, because I could just expect one to go out just when ya need it the most. The bulbs I have are what I used for last spring's chicks, they were regulated quite well in the garage, but my new chicks are coming earlier than the last ones.

If the test run doesn't work out well, they'll be staying in the house, and I'll just use a 60 watt bulb as someone recommended! And maybe those furnace filters I saw someone else recommend!

Angie

 

[Harley's girl]

Wow! Looks great! That is almost what I have set up in my basement.

 

[wilds of pa]

grullablue Great set up, i like it it to..

nice to have the top for when they realize there little wings can take them places....

always love seeing new idea?? gets the juices flowing in the brain..

charlie

 

[coffeemama]

Rte.66_chicks :

Whatever way you choose, don't trust the clamp on the light. Hang it securely so it cannot fall down. Those heat lamps start fires very easily.

Yes, please hang it securely.

 

[grullablue]

Yes, thank you. I forgot to bring that up. Screws were mentioned to keep it from sliding off... and I appreciate that suggestion. Would be catastrophic for the lamp to fall off..... last time we had it clamped upright, the weight of the lamp held it down as well. But these lamps do make me nervous, and I will be taking extra precautions this time!

Angie

 

[willheveland]

Quote:
With no guard on it,yes it would be bad.The bulb could lay on the chicks and litter causing a fire.Mine has a guard so if it did fall the guard would hold it off the floor.I still chain it though. Will