lights in brooders

[NC Tom]

I am new to raising chickens and have my first 15 chicks ordered, to be delivered in two weeks. I have learned so much from this site, hopefully i won' t make any uneducated mistakes in raising them. I do have a question about the brooder. When using a clear heat lamp for warmth does it create a problem having the chicks in constant light? I will have the brooder in an outside shed that will not have any natural light. I plan on having another source of light other than the heat lamp during the day. At night the heat lamp will continue to supply light, will this create a problem? I am located in coastal NC, so the weather is warm at this time of year, so I won't need too much added heat for the chicks. Thanks in advance for any help Tom

 

[nj2wv]

welcome to BYC !!

 

[Cynthia12]

I also use light, but new babies are indoors. If these are brand new chicks, and they are outside, they will need that heat lamp for about a week. If, it's a lot cooler there at night. Then, I would switch over to a 100 soon..that may even be good enough now..like I said, not sure how warm you are there. I have three week olds outside in my nursery hutch with no lights on at night, it's in the mid 50's here during the nights now. They snuggle together and do great.

 

[drumstick diva]

Nice to meet you Tom, generally chicken folks use a red bulb in the brooder lamp. It doesn't disturb the babies like a clear one would. Depending on age(and room temp) newly hatched chicks need 95degrees at the brooder floor. Every week you reduce by 5 degrees. Usually by the time they are fully feathered out they are ready to move out to the coop.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[N F C]

Hi Tom, welcome to BYC!

@drumstick diva has given you some great advice. It's been a while since I've had little chicks in a brooder but it seems I read that having too much bright light all the time can cause behavior problems, and they need some hours of very dim/no light similar to what they will have naturally. I believe the red heat lamp bulbs provide warmth without being too bright.

Hope you enjoy your new flock. Chickens are fascinating, you're in for a real treat watching the little ones grow up!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[Blooie]

Welcome to BYC and the wacky world of chicken keeping! There's another way to raise chicks, and since yours aren't here yet, you have time to set it up. Those of us using it call it "MHP", for Mama Heating Pad. I've taken the liberty of including a link to the thread about it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

I brood my chicks outside in the run, even in temps below freezing, and not only have I not lost any chicks, the chicks I have raised are so much stronger than those I've had before. They get used to natural day/night cycles from the start. They use the cave with the heating pad exactly as they do a mother hen - scooting under her if they are chilly or spooked, but spending most of their time exploring, eating, and learning. It works whether your are brooding the inside or outside, like I do. I prefer outside - I don't like the dust that a brooder full of chicks pump out in alarming quantities.

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy your chicks!