Yellow bug light or red heat light???

[newchickmom09]

We are getting our chicks in one week now. We have had a few little hick ups for getting our brooder ready.

I went to the feed store and got some med. chick feed for them. My hubby made a PVC feeder and wanted to make sure that the feed would actualy flow down and he didn't need to do anything else for it. So he opened to bag and said "is this really what we are supposed to feed our chicks?" This food is bigger then what we fed our last chickens." I looked in the bag and there was huge pieces of corn seeds all kinds of things. I look at the little tag and it said Hen Scratch! I called the feed store and told them and the nice gentleman said " I am so sorry I have some new kids working here and obviously they can't read". I have to go get to right feed today.

Now to my light question. We already had a red heat light that we have had for a while from turtles that we used to have. We had that set up in there and it kept the temp just right. Well that light burned out this weekend while we were testing it.

(at least it didn't happen while we had the chicks in there) I know that those heat lights are expensive but they work. I was wondering if anyone uses those yellow bug lights? I know you aren't supposed to have white lights on the chicks but I was wondering how about those bug lights. Are they too close to white that it will effect the chicks like white?

 

[17roses]

Quote:
I use a red flood light I bought from Walmart. The only reason I use red is it is suppose to prevent picking if a chick gets hurt. They cant see the blood. I know people who use regular light bulbs and their chicks do fine. The temp is more important than the bulb. IMO.

 

[newchickmom09]

I didn't know that was the reason why you were supposed to use red

makes sence. A forgot about flood lights, I will check for those today. Sometimes the obvious passes right past when you aren't thinking, lol or thinking to hard.

 

[write2caroline]

Once I was told a blue heat lamp will also work.
My heat lamp bulb was backordered and the MPC customer service rep told me the reptile lights were good but smaller and I should get either red or blue.

I actully prefer the smaller bulb for week two and onward with my brooder. I got red

Caroline
Jax FL

 

[newchickmom09]

Thank you everyone, I got it all figured out. I bought a red inside/outside flood light and it works perfectly. I can get it to 95 and the cage still has a large open area for air flow and everything. For the coming weeks I can keep moving the light higher to lower the temp. It all works!!!

 

[StaatsFarms]

"I know that those heat lights are expensive but they work. "

If you have a TSC around you can get the 250 watt red bulbs for around $7.00 if I remember right​