What Light Bulb Do You Need For The Brooder?

[ManuelsChickens]

I Wanted To Know What Light Bulb Would You Need For A brooder? Someone Reccomended Me A 150 Watt Bulb Is That Right? How Much Will It Cost? Do They Sell Them At Menards?

 

[fried green eggs]

Yes, Menards or Lowe's should have heat bulbs or brooder bulbs. You will want to get a Red colored bulb. Wattage kind of depends on if they will be in your house with AC running or outside in a garage. You want to keep new chicks warm enough. They need 95 degs first week then minus 5 degs each week after, till they feather out. Bulbs cost $5 - $8 a piece. I use 250 watt brooder bulbs and just raise it higher away from them so it's not too warm. It will also help if your brooder is large enough that the chicks can move away from heat bulb if, it's too warm. You can find more information in The Learning Center on this site. Good Luck!

 

[yo burrill]

Depends on how many chicks you have. I dont usually have more than 10 banty chicks in the brooder box. I use a 60 watt regular white house bulb and it works fine. Never had a picking problem. They do tend to stay up more during the night though. Summer time I only use the bulb a couple weeks. You can find the smaller watt red bulbs in with the reptile stuff at Petco or the like. Way cheaper to run than those huge bulbs if your not brooding 25 or more birds.

 

[ManuelsChickens]

Yes, Menards or Lowe's should have heat bulbs or brooder bulbs. You will want to get a Red colored bulb. Wattage kind of depends on if they will be in your house with AC running or outside in a garage. You want to keep new chicks warm enough. They need 95 degs first week then minus 5 degs each week after, till they feather out. Bulbs cost $5 - $8 a piece.  I use 250 watt  brooder bulbs and just raise it higher away from them so it's not too warm. It will also help if your brooder is large enough that the chicks can move away from heat bulb if, it's too warm. You can find more information in The Learning Center on this site. Good Luck!

There Going To be Inside With The AC Running (AC Running At 78-79 Degrees.) For Some Weeks Then I'm going To leave Them Outside. So Would You Know What Bulb I Should Get? Wouldn't 250 Be To hot?!

 

[ManuelsChickens]

Depends on how many chicks you have. I dont usually have more than 10 banty chicks in the brooder box. I use a 60 watt regular white house bulb and it works fine. Never had a picking  problem. They do tend to stay up more during the night though.  Summer time I only use the bulb a couple weeks.  You can find the smaller watt red bulbs in with the reptile stuff at Petco or the like. Way cheaper to run than those huge bulbs if your not brooding 25 or more birds.

I'm Going To Have 15 White Silkies.

 

[ManuelsChickens]

So I Found A 100 Watt Light Bulb (Red) The Highest Wattage Red Bulb Tey Had Is That still Okay?

 

[kellanv]

I'm sure it's fine. Just get them something to keep warm but not cook them and they will be happy.

 

[fried green eggs]

I'm Going To Have 15 White Silkies.

Congrats! A 100 watt red bulb should do great. You can put a thermomiter on the outter edge of the bulbs heat at the same height as the chicks will be and get it ready before you put the chick in. You can tell if, your chicks are cold because they will all be piled together dirrectly under the bulb. If they spread out a little under the outter area of lights heat - thats great! When they start sleeping farther away from the heat, I raise my bulb a few inches.

 

[ManuelsChickens]

Okay Thanks For The Advice Guys.

 

[yo burrill]

I use a thermometer to check my bulb every time now!! I cooked a few baby chicks cause they laid right under the light even though it was way to hot. And I only use a 75watt bulb at the most.