Lighting/heat

[Dawsonsx5]

Hi there,
I'm a first time backyard chicken owner and super excited for this new journey With my family! As we start preparation for our broode I have managed to scroung up some free industrial lighting (400w) should be good for heat and lighting and heat.....? When we wired them up I noticed that the omit a humming sound. Not loud but still evidently there. Will this drive the little chickens nuts? Or will it be like the sound of a fan? Am I doing this right? Yikes! Thank you in advance for your response.

 

[Kadu]

About the lighting, just make sure for the first week, the heat inside the brooder (by the chicks) is 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Your light is the only issue I would foresee, because chicks can get really stressed if you leave the light on 24/7. They do need some darkness to sleep. I usually have a red (IR) heat lamp on them. When they get stressed, they will peck on each other. Once I had a poor little baby without the top half of his beak. It was bleeding so bad. Poor thing...

Before I got the red heat lamp, I only had the white one. I would cover it with foil just so the heat escapes but not light so much. That did the trick. But I have to tell you, it is not safe. Not at all.

About the sound, I don't think that would be an issue... but then I have not had that type of situation before.

Good Luck! =)

 

[azygous]

400 watts seems a bit extreme. Most heat lamps are 250 watts, and they put out more heat than most small brooders need. I've found that a simple 100 watt incandescent bulb puts out enough heat for a half dozen chicks.

You don't mention how large your brooder will be or how many chicks you will have. I suppose 400 watts would be appropriate for several dozen chicks in a 100 square foot brooder.

I've solved the problem of providing relief from the glaring light during night time hours by suspending a red cloth over the brooder between it and the light. It's definitely a good idea to get the chicks used to day light and night time rhythms. This doesn't occur to most people and then they end up with chicks who are afraid of the dark when it comes time to move from the brooder into the coop.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi there,
I'm a first time backyard chicken owner and super excited for this new journey With my family! As we start preparation for our broode I have managed to scroung up some free industrial lighting (400w) should be good for heat and lighting and heat.....? When we wired them up I noticed that the omit a humming sound. Not loud but still evidently there. Will this drive the little chickens nuts? Or will it be like the sound of a fan? Am I doing this right? Yikes! Thank you in advance for your response.

400w?How big is your brooder and how many chicks will you be brooding? What breeds?
Thanks,
Karen

 

[Dawsonsx5]

Hi there,
The eggs I picked up are as follow..
4 blue
2 green
2 pinkish
3 brown
1 very dark brown


This is the description that I got.....
Roosters- Ameraucana and Easter eggers
Hens- variety of Ameraucana (blue, black and splash) Heritage and dual purpose ( barnevelder, barred rock) and laying hens ( RSL, ISA reds).

I just got really excited and bought them, then looked into. However I still don't know what ISA means? I have a plan for the roosters as i only want laying hens.... anyone know what i might be getting here. I would especially like to know what the dark brown is going to be. Thanks much!!

 

[Dawsonsx5]

I'm going to use a large breed dog cage, and If all goes well I will have 12 healthy chicks

 

[Wxguru]

Isa is a sex link....good layer