temp not going down in brooder

[Eggcessive]

Start with a 60 watt regular bulb for heat, then when they can tolerate it , use a 25 watt red or 60 watt red fluorescent just for light at night only. They should have been weened earlier, and they would be covered in feathers.

 

[pappy1264]

Can I use a 60 watt red bulb now? I keep it on all night and really don't want to have a bright white light on all night. I can lower the lamp to keep it warm, just want to stick with red bulb. They sell regular red bulbs, would those not work?

 

[debid]

Yes, use the 60. And all is not lost; they'll feather up with the oven reduced to a toaster. Lots of newbies overheat their chicks -- I'm just glad none of them died before the problem was noticed.

The simple truth is that 250W bulbs are for use in *unheated* structures and for large numbers of chicks. They just aren't necessary in a house and pose a real risk of cooking the chicks in a small brooder. I have a small batch of chicks in a coop and use a 175W for temps in the teens - 30F and a 100W for 30+ until they stop sleeping under it. Even my slow-feathering chick was covered by 6 weeks, most of them were done at four.

 

[pappy1264]

Here are some pics I took of them today....

 

[debid]

Adorable! But yeah, feathered like 2-3 weeks, not 4+.

 

[pappy1264]

Really? So that is from too much heat? I kept raising the lamp, too, but not matter what, the temp has stayed at 90! They just never really stayed under it. So, what do I do? Should I grab a red party bulb to put in the lamp, so they have some heat (really hoping I don't have to do a regular 'white' bulb, as I cannot have that on all night.) Thank you.

 

[pappy1264]

Ashley, who I got them from, said to pick up a 100 watt regular white bulb, use during the day, then shut off at night, they will sleep and be fine.

 

[SobbaChickens]

Nothing I have read says that 4wk old chicks should be fully feathered.

Everything that I've seen says around 8-12 wks. Different breeds of chickens feather out at different rates but yes the warmer they are kept the longer it will take. If your chicks were hot enough to possibly kill them I truly think you would have noticed, (if you were aware of the signs.)

Get a lower watt bulb and stick it to one side. Give them plenty of room with no lamp and watch their behavior.


Good luck,
Katie

 

[pappy1264]

Thank you, that is what I am going to do. No one has ever been panting, they just move all over and sleep all over.

 

[pappy1264]

Shut the light completely off for the night last night for the first time (I covered them almost completely in a heavy dark towel). I was nervous, but they did great! Changed out the 250 red heat bulb out to a 100 watt regular white bulb and they are doing great, temp in the hot spot is still about 80 but they are eating, scratching, playing and just seem happy (and I can see them so much better! lol) Thanks guys!