Black heat lamp for chicks

[Weeg]

I have been shopping around for inspiration on chick brooders, and found myself wondering why they don't make black coated heat lamps for chicks. After a quick google search, I realized they did make them for reptiles. I'm wondering if any of you have tried using the 150 watt black reptile bulbs for brooding chicks. I hate all the light that red and white lights give off, and don't want to buy another heating plate after it failed and my chicks didn't make it because it didn't heat up enough.
I feel like a black light would be much darker, and the chicks would actually be able to sleep at night. I'm very interested in trying it.
There this one I found on Amazon thats mainly for reptiles, but is also labeled adequate for brooding chicks. Then theres this one on Chewy that is labeled for reptiles, but also 150 watts so would probably work just as well.
The reviews on the first one said something about the light not doing well in a contained space? It made me slight concerned to use it in a chick brooder. Opinions are very helpful, and I'll definitely test the light I order in the brooder first with a thermometer before using on the chicks. Thanks for your help!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Following you from the other thread - kind to make a new thread, when the subject changed. Anyhow, yes, I've used the black ceramic heat bulb from Amazon that I linked in January/February of this year in an uninsulated shed which is certainly not air tight, overnight temps in the mid to high 20s (unusually cold this year) with three week+ old birds. Kept them there till 6 weeks, when I moved them to the barn (with the lamp).

The issue is that 1' away may provide 95 degrees in the right circumstances, but even my three week olds can manage a wing assisted 16"+ hop - and I did burn the back of my hand bumping the bulb at one point. I had it about 2 1/2' off the ground (hung from a shelf 3' up), it added about 30-35 degrees to a space roughly 3.5' x 4.5' x 3' tall, which was all they needed to get by until the temps improved.

So, with the caveat that if you can find a way to protect the bulb from accidental contact by sensitive flesh (yours, or your feather babies...), you should do so.

 

[Weeg]

Following you from the other thread - kind to make a new thread, when the subject changed. Anyhow, yes, I've used the black ceramic heat bulb from Amazon that I linked in January/February of this year in an uninsulated shed which is certainly not air tight, overnight temps in the mid to high 20s (unusually cold this year) with three week+ old birds. Kept them there till 6 weeks, when I moved them to the barn (with the lamp).

The issue is that 1' away may provide 95 degrees in the right circumstances, but even my three week olds can manage a wing assisted 16"+ hop - and I did burn the back of my hand bumping the bulb at one point. I had it about 2 1/2' off the ground (hung from a shelf 3' up), it added about 30-35 degrees to a space roughly 3.5' x 4.5' x 3' tall, which was all they needed to get by until the temps improved.

So, with the caveat that if you can find a way to protect the bulb from accidental contact by sensitive flesh (yours, or your feather babies...), you should do so.

Ya, I guess your right, it needs to be as far away as possible, and 1' probably wont do it. I may just order it from Amazon and see if I like it, then return it if its to close, etc.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have brooded all my chickens under reptile night bulbs -- https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/en...time-reptile-heat-bulb-55891.html?cgid=500110

I have them in 150w, 100w, and 60w -- having used the 250w red bulb that came with a borrowed heat lamp for the chilliest nights. They produce a dim, purple light that doesn't seem to bother the chicks but which allows me enough light to see them for middle-of-the-night checks.

I'm told that the ceramic heat emitters cast more warmth further, but I have no direct experience. https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/en...hrive-reptile-ceramic-heat-emitter-54904.html

 

[Aapomp831]

Baby chicks don’t need to sleep all night; they need to eat and drink more than adult birds. They also go into panic mode in complete darkness; they need the light as well as the heat. If you shut off the lights in small chicks, they will freak out and huddle on top of each other desperate for cover and end up injuring each other.

 

[Weeg]

Baby chicks don’t need to sleep all night; they need to eat and drink more than adult birds. They also go into panic mode in complete darkness; they need the light as well as the heat. If you shut off the lights in small chicks, they will freak out and huddle on top of each other desperate for cover and end up injuring each other.

Thats why the black light is very nice. Its produces light thats supposed to imitate the moon for reptiles, but is still dim and wont bother them like the red or white lights.
I've use black lights for party's before, and they produce a nice purple glow. Never used heated dark lights though.

 

[Aapomp831]

Thats why the black light is very nice. Its produces light thats supposed to imitate the moon for reptiles, but is still dim and wont bother them like the red or white lights.
I've use black lights for party's before, and they produce a nice purple glow. Never used heated dark lights though.

I’m just curious, why do you believe it bothers them? I’ve never noticed anything that seemed like an adverse reaction to the heat lamp. But i do hate that obnoxious red light; it’s quite annoying.

 

[Weeg]

I have brooded all my chickens under reptile night bulbs -- https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/en...time-reptile-heat-bulb-55891.html?cgid=500110

I have them in 150w, 100w, and 60w -- having used the 250w red bulb that came with a borrowed heat lamp for the chilliest nights. They produce a dim, purple light that doesn't seem to bother the chicks but which allows me enough light to see them for middle-of-the-night checks.

I'm told that the ceramic heat emitters cast more warmth further, but I have no direct experience. https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/en...hrive-reptile-ceramic-heat-emitter-54904.html

Thank you so much for these links! I think I'm going to order the 150 watt Thrive bulb from Petsmart, since its out of stock at the Petsmart near me. I'm really happy this works for you and I can't wait to try it for my own chicks.

 

[Weeg]

I’m just curious, why do you believe it bothers them? I’ve never noticed anything that seemed like an adverse reaction to the heat lamp. But i do hate that obnoxious red light; it’s quite annoying.

Your right, I've never seen them "bothered" by the red light. I can imagine its very unnatural for them, and a dark light will be more natural since it doesn't produce an obnoxious red light and is supposed to imitate a glow closer to that of the moon.
I guess I have no proof that it actually bothers them, but its really just a guess.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you so much for these links! I think I'm going to order the 150 watt Thrive bulb from Petsmart, since its out of stock at the Petsmart near me. I'm really happy this works for you and I can't wait to try it for my own chicks.

For my situation -- where I was trying not to turn the brooder into a rotisserie in NC late-spring/early summer heat -- I used the varying wattage of the bulbs as well as the height to control the temperature.

I did put the lamp up and down, but I tried not to have it below about 15" for fear of chicks jumping/flying into it.