Brooder box heat lamp

[Happychickmomma]

Hi everyone, my family and I just got 10 baby chicks yesterday. We are so excited! We have a brooder box all set up with water, food and a heat lamp and they all seem really happy and content. Although, my question is, we live in California and the temp outside is around 95 degrees. I have the brooder box in a spare room and it’s about 76 -80 degrees in the house. I noticed when the heat lamp is on the chicks avoid it like the plague. They all stay on the opposite side of the light. When I turned the light off they seem much happier ( playing, scratching and roaming around the whole box). Is it ok to not have the light on? I know your supposed to keep them at 90-95 degrees for the first week, but are they too hot?

 

[alexa009]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens! I should say your brooder is definitely too hot if the chicks are trying to avoid it, Raise it up higher. Hope you enjoy it here as much as we all do!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What wattage is your bulb? I shoot for closer to 85 that first week.

 

[Happychickmomma]

Ok, I thought so! The bulb we have is 250 watt. I will get a lower watt bulb today. Thank you

 

[SueT]

The chicks are telling you what they need. You can use a small incandescent bulb, say 60 watt, put it to one side for nights just in case. If you can get a non light-emitting reptile bulb, that's even better.
Welcome to BYC good luck!

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Welcome to BYC!!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ok, I thought so! The bulb we have is 250 watt. I will get a lower watt bulb today. Thank you

I personally use nothing over a 125 watt. In the house you may do okay with something lower. I would provide heat for a week or two at least. It can take that long for chicks to be able to start to regulate their own body heat.

 

[BlueBaby]

Hello, and welcome to BYC!

 

[Melky]

View attachment 1527765 View attachment 1527764
Hi everyone, my family and I just got 10 baby chicks yesterday. We are so excited! We have a brooder box all set up with water, food and a heat lamp and they all seem really happy and content. Although, my question is, we live in California and the temp outside is around 95 degrees. I have the brooder box in a spare room and it’s about 76 -80 degrees in the house. I noticed when the heat lamp is on the chicks avoid it like the plague. They stay on the opposite side of where the light is on. When I turned the light off they seem much happier ( playing, scratching and roaming around the whole box). Is it ok to not have the light on? I know your supposed to keep them at 90-95 degrees for the first week, but are they too hot?

It’s hard to regulate a heat lamp by height alone. Should have brooder thermometer in brooder at all times at bird height near the heat lamp to measure temperature to see if you are high or low. I used a thermoregulator that had its own temp probe and plugged it into my heat lamp so it turned my heat lamp on and off for me to keep set temp. I weaned temp 5 degrees every 5-7 days depending on how much time my chics sat under the heat lamp. If happy walking around temp probably comfortable for them. You will notice they will go back and forth throughout day to gather heat from lamp and go to other side to cool off. They will do this likely throughout time in brooder. This is normal. If too hot they will pant and sit on furthest wall. I found the thermoregulator very helpful.

 

[Melky]

View attachment 1527765 View attachment 1527764
Hi everyone, my family and I just got 10 baby chicks yesterday. We are so excited! We have a brooder box all set up with water, food and a heat lamp and they all seem really happy and content. Although, my question is, we live in California and the temp outside is around 95 degrees. I have the brooder box in a spare room and it’s about 76 -80 degrees in the house. I noticed when the heat lamp is on the chicks avoid it like the plague. They all stay on the opposite side of the light. When I turned the light off they seem much happier ( playing, scratching and roaming around the whole box). Is it ok to not have the light on? I know your supposed to keep them at 90-95 degrees for the first week, but are they too hot?

I should also mention that my chics went out to adult coop at 4-5 weeks which is earliest recommendation. Must tolerate temp of 70 degrees with no overnight temps much lower than that and be feathered out before putting out on own.