My heat lamp is making the brooder too hot

[Cheekychook11]

I have two 5 day old chicks, and i've tried multiple heat lamps and they are all too hot for this style of brooder, where the lamp is close to the ground, the chicks can get away from the heat, but under and around the lamp is extremly hot, around 75 degrees celcius right underneath, we are using a hundred watt bulb, and are getting a 50 watt bulb to replace it tommorow, will this be cool enough? any advice? also wondering if chicks fall asleep, will they wake up and move if it gets too hot?? please someone advise

 

[RossAcres]

Getting a smaller bulb should help. Can you adjust the height of the light?

 

[Cheekychook11]

I cant adjust the light because there is a roof where the light attachment is

 

[RossAcres]

Then I would get a less powerful heat lamp. If that doesn't work, you'll need to use a different brooder. You can use a plastic storage tub.

 

[K0k0shka]

Heat plates are so much better than heat lamps, in every way - safer, more natural, easier to adjust, etc. I highly recommend you consider getting, or making, a heat plate instead. They are not hard to DIY, and will be a lot cheaper, using a heating pad (just make sure it has no "auto shut off" feature). I made one using this article as a guide, and that's the only heat source I've used since, brooding many batches of chicks with it. I even made several more to give to friends. Highly recommend.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Idk what kind of bulbs you're looking at since I haven't heard of a 50 watt bulb.
I'd just get a 60 and 40 watt regular bulb and see which works best.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have two 5 day old chicks, and i've tried multiple heat lamps and they are all too hot for this style of brooder,

Some more details on your brooder could help. Do you have photos, is it indoors in a climate controlled area or outside with the temperature swings.

where the lamp is close to the ground,

To me this implies it is outside but I'd like to be certain

the chicks can get away from the heat, but under and around the lamp is extremly hot, around 75 degrees celcius right underneath,

167 Fahrenheit, too hot. What kind of temperatures are they seeing away from the heat?

we are using a hundred watt bulb, and are getting a 50 watt bulb to replace it tommorow, will this be cool enough? any advice? also wondering if chicks fall asleep, will they wake up and move if it gets too hot?? please someone advise

Yes, if they have a suitable place to go to.

I'd really like to see a photo of your brooder. If the top is wire, can you move the lamp up there further away from the chicks? And your bulb does not need to be a heat lamp bulb. Any incandescent bulb will give off heat.

I personally prefer a heat plate or heating pad if you are in a climate controlled area, especially of you have a small brooder. You still need to set them up properly. Brooders tend to be small and a heat lamp can overheat them.

Outside, you have varying temperatures. With a heat lamp you can heat an area warm enough and have an area cool enough even with the temperature swings. A heat plate and heating pad can work outside too but I think they are harder to set up if you get big temperature swings. Mainly personal preference. My temperatures can swing from below freezing to in the 70's Fahrenheit (low 20's C) in a day. With my heat lamp the chicks move to a comfortable zone as the temperatures change. When temperatures drop below freezing I move their water to a heated zone so it doesn't freeze.

@Cheekychook11 I think there are solutions to your problems but I'd really like to know what you are working with. We all have our own unique circumstances, that's why one solution is usually not the best solution for all of us.

 

[Kiki]

HEAT LAMPS ARE USUALLY ALWAYS TOO HOT.
Use a regular old school non led light bulb. It gets plenty hot enough.

 

[Kiki]

Pics from here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what-colour-will-these-chicks-be.1642393/post-28057390

Looks like they barely have room to get away from the too hot area.
Can you post a pic of the whole set up including the lamp above it?

 

[Yardmom]

Your goal needs to be places that are warm enough and places to cool down. As long as the chicks can move to cooler places they will be fine. They will move when they get to hot.
For safety and energy conservation you may still want your warm spot a bit cooler.