Is RED LIGHT really less disturbing at night for a chicken?

[Plucky Pal]

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Hi! I just joined the forum yesterday and have been enjoying browsing all the eggcellent info on this forum!

As for the alarm clock bothering you, you could try what I do. Put a small little towel over the clock. You can easily lift the cloth to see the time if you want to.

 

[one cool chick]

my chickens are only babies but they dont peck at each other as much when the pink light is on.

 

[jmc]

Plucky, WELCOME TO THE FORUM. However, don't spend too much time on the diseases subsection; you might catch paranoia--I'm not entirely kidding, either......

Thanks for posts folks.

Some seem to have misunderstood a bit. I am only planning to use an incandescent--non infrared--light bulb AT NIGHT ON COLD NIGHTS to keep the birds warm. I am not going to use one during the day.

Note: It was 38 degrees Fri. a.m. and I had a red light going all night. It might seem that a fully feathered standard sized chicken would be fine in that temp without assistance from heat. I was, let's say, 'intrigued' by the fact that all three birds in the coop had move on the roosts and were now on the part of the roost right near the light!

In other words, from this bit of eye-witness experience, AT LEAST SOME standard-breed sized, fully feathered chickens DO APPRECIATE A HEAT SOURCE EVEN WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DOESN'T SEEM THAT BAD. By am they were enjoying the head radiating from the bowl-like shield into which the red light was screwed.

Mine clearly appreciated it. I suspect yours will too.

Also, I believe I have seen the teflon coated bulbs, and if I have, you can tell. The bulbs I have--both real infrared heat lamps and the regular incandescent red light bulbs--are nothing but clear glass. IMO, if you can see right through the glass and it feels smooth, there is no coating.

Everybody LIGHT UP!!

 

[kinnip]

The red heat lamps I have sat smack on top of the brooder lid. If they were coated, my chicks would be dead. It's a Sylvania 250 watt R40 infrared bulb. I bought it Southern States. Right now, one coop has a 15w red party bulb and the other has a battery powered LED. Both seem to be keeping everyone happy and healthy. I use the lights because it's so dark out there-- the beech tree blocks the moon. I want my roos to have a fighting chance if something busts in. Chickenmonk, this is paranoia and yes I do spend too much time reading about disasters.

 

[Plucky Pal]

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Thanks for the welcome and the warning!

 

[cmom]

Plucky. Personally, for the chicks I use a red heat lamp. For my big girls, I use a Red 11 watt sign light bulb. I average 4/5 eggs per day for every 6 girls except when they molt. then I have always gotten at least 1 egg a day for every 6 girls during their molt. I am selling the eggs.

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

sure as heck keeps me up ALL night!

 

[gritsar]

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I live much further south than you do and our winters are nothing compared to yours I'm sure. We get more ice storms than snow and temps. usually don't get below the teens, maybe an occasional single digit.
Nonetheless, I'm sure my chickens would appreciate a heat source, but they won't get it. You see wintertime around here is also power outage time. It's not uncommon to lose power at least once a week. Alot of people around here heat and cook with gas precisely for this reason.
If I got my chickens used to a warm coop and the power went out, then what? Then I'd have chilled chickens and chilled chickens can easily become sick chickens.
My chickens are acclimated to the fluctuations in temps. and do just fine.
I'm glad you have an option that works for you and your chickens. It will never be an option I'd consider here.