The clamp on light fixture may or may not handle a 250 watt heat lamp. I bought two new clamp on fixtures last year that are rated for a 250 watt heat lamps. Be very careful how you use the clamp on fixtures. Sometimes the clamp fails and oftentimes it does not stay securely clamped. It is best it can hang it from above rather than depending upon the clamp. The wattage of the bulb will depend upon your setup. I setup my brooder in the garage. It is an attached (to the house) garage and is insulated but not heated. I used a big metal tub last year and it required two 250 watt heat lamps for the first three weeks. I am building a new wood brooder with a lid this year. Hopefully one heat lamp will be sufficient.
I use a red bulb rather than white. The theory is that it reduces pecking.
I recommend that you setup the brooder, including the wood chips and paper towels, at least a week in advance of getting your chicks. Turn the heat lamp on for a few hours to test it. This gives you time to make adjustments. This could include raising/lowering the heat lamp or buying a different wattage bulb. This gives you a chance to test the adjustments. I am glad I did this last year. When I discovered that I needed a second heat lamp it gave me time to purchase the one I wanted, set it up, and test it.
For chick feed I use Purina medicated Start and Grow. Again, don't wait until the last minute to buy it. Sometimes the feedstores run out of it for a few days. And always make sure you have at least a week of feed on hand. I already bought a bag of feed for the chicks I am getting the first few days of April.
One other thing o make sure you have handy is your camera. You will want to take lots of pictures. It is amazing how fast they grow in the first few weeks. I still go back and look at the "baby" pictures from last April occasionally.
I use a red bulb rather than white. The theory is that it reduces pecking.
I recommend that you setup the brooder, including the wood chips and paper towels, at least a week in advance of getting your chicks. Turn the heat lamp on for a few hours to test it. This gives you time to make adjustments. This could include raising/lowering the heat lamp or buying a different wattage bulb. This gives you a chance to test the adjustments. I am glad I did this last year. When I discovered that I needed a second heat lamp it gave me time to purchase the one I wanted, set it up, and test it.
For chick feed I use Purina medicated Start and Grow. Again, don't wait until the last minute to buy it. Sometimes the feedstores run out of it for a few days. And always make sure you have at least a week of feed on hand. I already bought a bag of feed for the chicks I am getting the first few days of April.
One other thing o make sure you have handy is your camera. You will want to take lots of pictures. It is amazing how fast they grow in the first few weeks. I still go back and look at the "baby" pictures from last April occasionally.
