what temp of heat lamp for one day old chicks

[AmyTx101]

we bought 7 one day old chicks today and the chicken lady told me to add a heat lamp with 150 watts does this seem to hot.. its an infrared light.. i dont want to kill the babies but i want them to stay warm they are indoors and have their own room and we shut the vent in there because house is cold. so what wattage? and is infrared ok

 

[ZaksGarden]

You want to start in 90-95 degree range. The chicks should move around and be active if they are comfortable. If they are too hot they will move as far away from the light as possible, and they will pant. If they are too cold they will huddle together under the light. Just observe your chicks, they will tell you if they are comfortable.

After week 1 you will lower the temperature by 5 degrees each week until they are feathered out or brooder temperature is equal to temperature outdoors.

 

[AmyTx101]

i could only find 50 100 and 150 and higher.. they are in between the heat lamp and their food.. so im assuming too hot .. well i guess i will go get another wattage

 

[Fred's Hens]

Infra red is nice. Even with air conditioning, it just doesn't take much to raise 75 ambient air to the 90 the chicks like for week one. They won't want it that warm for long. In fact, the purpose of the lamp is not necessarily to create a 90 degree world for them. This goes against nature. A broody mother hen only provide a warm spot of her body, if and when and as they need it. The rest of the time, chicks are busy little bodies running, jumping and pecking around in 50 and 60 degree air. The purpose of the lamp is to merely mimic the hen's body.

A warm circle big enough for your seven chicks to come into when, if and as they need it. That's all. Too hot is almost always more dangerous than a bit too cool. If they are cool, they'll peep and tell you. Lowering and raising the lamp adjusts the heat they sense. Remember, their bodies are 2" closer to the lamp than the floor of the brooder. Always have cooler areas of the brooder for them to go and self regulate.

Enjoy the journey.

 

[yo burrill]

I have a 60 watt regular house bulb about 18 inches above my brooder for the first week.I cooked a few chicks cause I had the bulb a little too close. They dont always move away from the heat.

So now I put a thermometer in with them the first few days. Right under the light.