Thoughts on using a black light in coop?

[Where The Wild Things Are]

I need a little heat in my coop to keep my galvanized waterer from freezing. As apposed to roasting my girls with a 250 watt red heat lamp, or blinding them with a 100 watt soft white bulb all night (after all, who wants to sleep with the lights on) I have a few 60 watt black light bulbs I bought for Halloween a few years ago. They get plenty hot, and in theory would both use less power and not put off much light. But I have no idea what spectrum poultry can see, or what affect it would have on them. But I'm sure it would make my Speckled Sussex look cool

All opinions are welcome

 

[easttxchick]

I have no idea, but if you do, one night when you open up the coop, you'll be hearing Hendrix music and their'll be other weird stuff going on in there!

 

[Where The Wild Things Are]

Oohhh, maybe I would get tyedyed multi colored eggs

 

[easttxchick]

Quote:

Maybe just try a lower wattage regular light bulb(soft light type thing) so you don't blind the flock?

 

[Where The Wild Things Are]

Eh I will probably just swing by the pet store on my way home and get a ceramic heater. I was just trying to save a few bucks, and the drive. I don't want my girls going blind or anything

 

[33yardbirds]

Quote:
Don't forget the Lava Lights and Peter Max posters.

 

[Tala]

Black light bulbs actually put out MORE heat than white light bulbs of the same wattage. In my experience, they don't last very well in cold weather though. Don't know why, maybe they are made cheap since they are just for "decoration"

But the glow won't hurt your birds. I had a fluorescent black light bug zapper in my coop all summer. It didn't seem to affect them.

 

[Where The Wild Things Are]

I guess I can try it...I don't want to make them any crazier than they already are.

 

[bantyshanty]

Have you thought of trying a ceramic heat-emitting bulb? They are sold in pet stores that have reptile supplies, and available online as well. Try shopthecoop.com, or Mor Electric Supply. They range from $20 to $40 dollars, screw into a light socket, and will last for years while keeping it dark at night. You could switch it out for a regular low-wattage incandescent bulb in the mornings/evenings if you want.

 

[bjash]

Chickens see the red lights as the brightest. If you put a red 250W light in there, it will be blinding for them (like a bright, sunny day for us).