Washingtonians

[itsren]

I agree. I never, ever moved our heat lamp. I just left it on one side of the brooder and as they grew and feathered out more they just stayed further away from it. No big science there, and they were fully feathered by 5-6 weeks because of it I think!

Depends on the size of the brooder and whether the brooder has good ventilation or not. Those who have small brooders have to pay more attention or they could cook their chicks. I'd hate to see someone accidentally cook their babies in a plastic tub because they thought the chicks would be able to get away from the heat.

I know keeping the light stationary worked well for you, but, if I remember correctly, your girls were in a large coop with the red light. They had plenty of space to move away.

My girls did not have space to escape heat if I didn't move the lamp up as they grew. At one point, I checked my brooder and it was 110 degrees... scared the living daylights out of me! I hadn't taken into account that as the heat goes up in the house on a warm day, the heat under the lamp would, too... and my birds couldn't escape it.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
My brooder with my original 16 chicks was 2'x4' with solid wood sides and a mesh top. At 4 weeks they moved to the coop with the lamp in one corner, you are correct about that.

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Quote: It is very simple to make and I would gladly give you directions if interested. This can be made for very close to $10. See I use this because I brood in a large water tub and don't have room to move the light.

 

[itsren]

Does this apply to rats as well? Or are they smart enough to make a long burrow?

Jennifer

We have a rat problem in our neighborhood. We live on a steep cliff. Lots of creatures come up from the cliff. I buried the chicken wire/poured concrete to keep the rats out. My neighbor's believe that my having chickens will increase the rat population - I was making sure I could assure them that my coop would not be a problem. Rats can not get through the hardware cloth on my run. A mouse could, though... but I think the rat population keeps mice at bay. Because I did what I did, I can confidently leave my bird's feeder in the run overnight without fear of rats getting in.

You'd be amazed at what a roof rat can climb.

Being that you're in the city on a .25 acre lot, come up with a solution that works for you and your land. Be aware that most people who are most vocal on this thread do not live on small city lots, and their opinions are expressed as if everyone lives on large parcels of land. Rats would very easily be able to climb up the wire and get into both Chickielady's and FirewifeJess' runs. Both of them have more land that you or I. If their coops attract rats, it would not have the same consequences as it would on a small lot.

 

[itsren]

It is very simple to make and I would gladly give you directions if interested. This can be made for very close to $10. See I use this because I brood in a large water tub and don't have room to move the light.

If it costs less than $10, I would like to know before next spring when we raise 3 more chicks. That certainly would be easier than raising or lowering the light on a chain and probably quicker to find a more stable temperature. Can your dimmer connect to an extension cord? I have to use an extension cord.

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Quote: Yes it can AND can be made so you can plug more than one light into it if ya wanna !

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote: True true!

 

[itsren]

I was always told they lay around 24 weeks, more or less depending on the breed. But again, no expert here, I have lots of breeds but never paid attention!

I certainly hope they lay later than 18.5 weeks. I *really* don't want mine to start laying when I'm at Yellowstone. The last thing I want to do is to come home and find out they started laying and eating their eggs while I was on vacation. A family member will only be checking on them once a day - late in the evening.

So far, my RIR is the only one who is starting to get red. My EE and Light Brahma are both still pretty pink in the face.

 

[itsren]

Yes it can AND can be made so you can plug more than one light into it if ya wanna !

Well, that's cool!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
I don't know that it's a common problem, egg eating. I think the worst you'd come home to is a nest box with quite a few eggs in it...maybe some squashed? It is my understanding that there might be a dietary deficiency for a hen to start eating eggs, but who knows? I think once a day is great though! If you want, I'm happy to go over there once or twice to check on them as well, just let me know!