Red bulb vs White bulb

[4meonly1]

I have a heat lamp with a 250wt bulb that we use at night due to how cold it is at the moment. It was a white bulb. I wanted to get an extra one and the local feed store only had ones that gave off a red light.

Is there a difference on how laying chickens with react to it.

Some one told me that the red bulb can slow if not stop them from laying and I dont want to do that.

Any thoughts?

 

[dkosh]

I just bought 2 red bulbs today. I thought it would be better for them, less stress. I've always thought that too much light causes stress and feather picking. I'm interested in what other people think too before I put them out tomorrow. We are going to be -2 or colder tomorrow night.

 

[Imp]

A warm welcome from an imp in Washington

About the lights. Some people believe that red light decreases the likelihood that chickens will peck at each other. I have not heard that either color will effect laying. Maybe someone else will have info about that. I personally have never had any problem with either red or white light. I use white in the coop, but just a regular 13 watt cfb.

Imp

 

[Rowtag]

I think I have heard, and this makes sense to me but may not be true, that the red bulbs give off heat but don't effect laying (red light doesn't effect sleep either I don't think). The white bulbs heat as well as provide added light, and will therefore keep hens laying through the winter, my birds don't sleep when I leave white lights on and the roosters crow all night long. I will turn on a string of rope lights for a few hours for the extra light if I feel the need, but I don't use white lights for heat since I don't want to hear the roos all night. If your birds can sleep through it I don't guess the white are a problem.

 

[F50myster]

I would go with red because if you have a white bulb the hens will not get enough sleep thinking that its still day and theyll eventually start pecking eachother and get stressed. its like humans some of us cant sleep in the day or at night with the lights on. the red light makes it dimmer

 

[Kathleen1115]

Mine sleep just fine with white light, don't seem the least bit stressed and don't peck at each other -- but that may be because they haven't ever been without light. When we moved them outdoors, it was already getting cold and they were still really young so we kept their light for heat. When I go out there in the evening and their light is on, they are roosting peacefully with their heads toward the wall. We keep the light pointed at their water to keep it from freezing. We'll likely take the light away completely once it warms up, but for now they're happy, healthy and weathering an unusually cold winter here way better than either the humans or canines in the house.

 

[joyous]

, I have a red light for heat on a thermo cube so in only goes on if the temp is less that 35,and it gives off a nice low light that they easily sleepin. I also have a regular 100 watt bulb light on a timer, for more "daylight" time. You can set it to be on for what ever hours you want.

 

[NYRIR]

I have a 12 x 7 coop with 34 birds in it.I put in two 250 w red bulbs due to the cold.I also have a regular bulb in there for us to see if we need to.I'm not sure about the laying issue but my birds definitely do NOT sleep with a regular bulb on.They had no light and then I had some issues with frostbite and "caved" and put the two heat lamps in(red bulbs).All I can tell you is my egg numbers went way up after adding the heat,and the chickens actually go in the coop at times throughout the day when before they didn't.I think they enjoy the extra warmth...needed or not.It does raise the electric bill though

 

[Petej]

Red is more calming.

I have a red 150(?) watt bathroom heat lamp that I use for my brooder.....

 

[4meonly1]

Thanks all

. I was worried due to they are new layers and I did not want to slow them. It does not seem to alter them atm. So they seem content at least I dont have to worry about them getting cold.