Brooder Heat Lamp

godtabh

Going to be given a few eggs that are about to be hathed. I'd normally put them in a pen with a heat mat but I have ducks in there at the momement.

If I go with a heat lamp I can get a 30w or 60w ProRep heat bulb. Would that be suitable?

Gloomtastic!

Most sites recommend a 250w bulb......

https://oakwayfarmandgarden.com/page/page-2/?permalink=how-to-keep-baby-chicks-warm

The Continental Op

What we use are 2 or 3 red effect 60 Watt light bulbs with a thermostat and a 12V computer case fan in a box covered in blankets.

Found this thermostat very good https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inkbird-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-Pre-wired/dp/B01AWA2PTG/ and I have a string of these type of bulbs https://www.amazon.co.uk/FIREGLOW-Incandescent-Incubator-Electric-Decorations/dp/B007OWRRXA/ but the colour isn't important we just didn't want white light in the brooder.

Just raised 16 out of 16 Guinea Fowl chicks with that system.

After hatching chicks go in a sawdust lined half barrel with a 250W heat lamp covering one side.

godtabh

250w from a 'new' bulB seems very high. Is there an engeergy effiecnet verson of this? (which might be counter productive!)

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119579278#Comment_119579278

How can you have an energy efficient version of a heater? We use 250W which is too high in a lot of cases but the bulb holder is on a chain so can be raised and lowered so the chicks get the right amount of heat. With 60W you'd cover a very small area and have to have it right on top of the chicks. Our heat lamp would normally be about 4 ft above them.

The Continental Op

How ours looked you can't see the heat lamp but you can see the chicks asleep under it. The plastic barrel is great as its draft proof.

DBB

Are you hell bent on using a lamp at all op? Have you considered an electric hen instead? We use them here all the time, as they more closely mimic a natural setting... chicks are in under a warm thing, in the dark at night and with daylight by day (there are some schools of thought that suggest maintaining a natural diurnal rhythm is better for chick welfare), and with the choice to come and go into and out of the heat as they please.

godtabh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119582270#Comment_119582270

I hve a heat pad (see first post), just cant seem to source onc locally

DBB

I'm not familiar with using heat mats for fowl. The electric hen (easily purchased online) allows the chicks in underneath the heat source, which mimics their natural instinct to be underneath a warm, dark place... it feels safe to them. As I said, it also allows a natural diurnal rhythm. Heat lamps or pads do not provide all of the above in combination.

cyborg

You can get heat lamps with hi/Lo switches and combined with a 175W infrared bulb it would get you down to <90W but it will have to be fairly low <1Ft from the chicks to work well.