temp not going down in brooder

[pappy1264]

Posted in another thread but no response, so starting my own thread. I have had my chicks for 4 weeks today. I am using a 250 watt red heat bulb. I have every week raised it and the temps have not gone down (still showing at 90 degrees). They will sometimes lie under it, no one is panting, but obviously it should not be that warm in there. Should I change the bulb to a regular red bulb, say a 60 watt? I cannot go any higher with the lamp, it may fall (will attach pic). I know the drop in temp should be gradual, so don't want to just take it away, but have to get the temps down. Thanks for any ideas. They are in a pac-n-play for a brooder.

 

[SobbaChickens]

I'd try a 125 watt first. When my chicks lived inside I did use a regular bulb for awhile but I had to keep it extremely close to them for them to act happy (but they were babies, not 5wks like yours).


Katie

 

[Ridgerunner]

Looks like you have them in your house. At 4 weeks it is highly unlikely they need any heat at all, not with how warm you are keeping your house. You can try turning it off and see how they react. Or you can switch to a much lower wattage bulb. Definitely they don’t need what you are providing.

 

[pappy1264]

I was thinking of trying a 60 watt red 'party bulb', and I can certainly move the lamp closer then it is. Would that be ok? Want to stick with the red, so it doesn't make my living room bright at night. Thank you.

 

[debid]

I'd shut it off and see if they peep loudly and try to pile when tired or if they make their normal chick raft and sleep. It's unlikely they need any bulb indoors at this point. Mine wanted their light off when it was 70 degrees out once they had chest feathers. So, I'd try that before anything.

BTW, you aren't going to shock them with a 70-degree, non-windy house. It would be different if we were talking about putting them out in 40-degree weather.

 

[pappy1264]

Even though one of my bantam chicks only has wing feathers, the rest is still downy?

 

[Fred's Hens]

At 4 weeks, at 75 degree ambient air temperatures, and it being spring time, the use of that 250 does little more than spin your electric meter unnecessarily. Maybe, maybe a 90 watt, lowered a bit, and only a night.

Frankly, it is approaching the time they go out to their outside home.

 

[debid]

Even though one of my bantam chicks only has wing feathers, the rest is still downy?

That's probably because you've been overheating them. Having some variance in the brooder temps is a good thing. If you're really afraid of shutting it off for an hour, use a regular household bulb (60-100W max) and drop the light down to the brooder lid in one corner. You'll still have a hot spot for the least-feathered, it won't light the whole room, and you'll save $$$.

 

[pappy1264]

Ok, will shut it off and watch. Thanks guys!

 

[pappy1264]

Well, it is back on. After about an hour or so, they all were huddling together, on top of each other in the corner where the light normally shines (they never sleep that way). So for now it is back on, will go out and get a lower watt bulb and see how that goes.