??What Kind of Heat Lamp??

[Chad the Chicken Man]

Hey guys im getting my new chicks sometime this week, they said between today and this saturday they could arrive. so i went out and bought a 250 watt heat lamp that the place said would work best. but i was wondering if this is way to much. the weekend of the 14th im going to be gone. and im worried that it will get to hot. i have someone coming over to check on the chicks everyday, but i dont want to start a fire and burn the place down. and tips would be great!!

 

[ranchhand]

That's a pretty serious heat lamp! I started with one of them and it made the whole room stifling hot. Then I found a red 100 watt outdoor flood light bulb and it worked a lot better.

It depends upon the climate outside the brooder also. Use several thermometers at the chicks level to see how they do, but more importantly, watch the chicks.

If they huddle under the lamp they might be too chilly, and if they go to the far end they might be too hot.

 

[trilyn]

I found that the larger the brooder the better. That way it doesn't matter what watt bulb you use, as long as it's red!! They'll be able to move away or move closer depending on what they want. I think it is much healthier that way, and less stress on them.

An inexpensive brooder, especially for this time of year when you don't need to worry about drafts and cold as much as you do if you were to brood in the spring is a pegboard brooder. You know, the kind you hang your tools off of? You can make a good sized brooder for around the price of a large plastic tub that is so common to use (less than 20.00 most places). I used a 96"x 48" piece and cut 4 pieces down to 2' long by 4' wide, so that it worked out to be 4'x4'x2' I wired the whole thing together, or you could even use zip ties!

I used a piece of plywood for the bottom covered with a tarp and set the whole thing down on top of it, filled it with shavings, hung my lamp, set up my feeders and waterers and was all set to go! I also put bricks on the outside of the brooder to hold it into place. It worked out really great and the best part is when you're all done brooding, cut the wires and the whole thing lays flat-easy storage! When they were starting to fly out, I covered the top with that cheap poultry/deer netting you can find at Home Depot.

Just a thought and good luck with your new chickies!!

 

[write2caroline]

I used a pole to hang my lamp from 2x2 literally taped to the mirror.

I found the 250 watt bulb was too hot. I switched to a 150 watt red bulb.

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Just make sure they can get away from the heat if they need to and go by what the chicks need.

Caroline
Jax FL

 

[Chad the Chicken Man]

Those are all really great ideas, yeah i was thinking it was a little to big, now i know thought, so thank you very much for all the info!!