Infrared - No visible light? I think NOT!

[BawkinOnTheBench]

I use an Infrared on a timer to give my girls a bit of extra heat at night. All the info says they emit 'almost no visible light'. I've wondered about it, because I can certainly see by it well enough, but I thought, must be chickens see differently. This morning, however, I was awakened by the egg squawk at 4:23 - an hour before we turn on the lights. They were all awake and clucking when I went out there too, wanting to be let out to breakfast, so I'd guess they can see it all right. I will say they slept fine throughout the rest of night - the light was on at half hour intervals during the night and I didn't hear them until then.

 

[KrisRose]

Red heat lamps mess up their sleep pattern. Mine would be up all night having a party. Had to switch to a flat panel heater that dosn't emit any light.

 

[Davidian]

I'm looking at buying one of the ceramic heater lamps too. I have been using red heat lamps and nobody is laying...

 

[sunnydee]

I left my red light on ONCE on an extreme cold night. I don't think they roosted at ALL....was one big party all night long. When I went out in the a.m. their feeder was almost half empty and there were two eggs in the nest box. I also noticed one of them had been picked on a little on her comb. So...no more light of anytype here for the night!

I added foam insulation and heavy plastic to the outside bottom of their coop, lowered the ceiling with foamboard and paneling. Pretty toasty in there now...even with no heat source other than six little fluffy butts.

I have come to learn that chickens can withstand the cold. Just make sure it is draft free and make the space smaller so their heat will stay near them.

 

[Davidian]

my problem is my coop is still a bit drafty. working on that today. Going to make a closable door on their opening. That its the last spot I've got to button up. we hit -8 last night (not including wind chill) and are not expecting much warmer nights for a while.

 

[silkiechicken]

Just because we can't see infrared, doesn't mean the birds can't... however, the bulbs are called infrared because the peak spectrum is in there... but incandescent bulb spectrums are very leaky. Spent a few minutes last week wondering why I couldn't see anything under the microscope... well I was looking at the specimen under the Cy5 channel... it's a filtered infrared light.... DOH.