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Post by thebean11 on Jun 9, 2010 16:42:35 GMT 8
My babies are about 3-4 weeks now and they are currently inside next to fire with a light. The globe that I am using is one of the new energy saving ones and I dont think it gets vry warm??? or warm enough for the chicks without the warmth from the fire.
I would like to put them outside in a few weeks as I am sure they will be alot bigger then and will also make them a bigger home when the time comes but I am unsure if it will be too cold as we had 0.2 degrees this morning....brrr
Can I get hold of some old globes? Will this help or do I convince my husband that they need to be inside for longer?
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Post by annieyokie on Jun 9, 2010 16:59:09 GMT 8
Some of my older outside chicks have 40 w colour party bulbs from bunnings for heat .I have it in a light socket screwed onto a old open cupboard at about 8-10 ins of the ground and lots of dry straw . They need heat in these temps for quite a while. My others have a heat lamp suspended from the roof and a dimmer to reduce the heat .
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Post by thebean11 on Jun 9, 2010 17:27:51 GMT 8
Thanks annieyokie for the tip with the bulbs I will get some this weekend
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Post by shea on Jun 10, 2010 11:13:26 GMT 8
I've just seen alot of heat lights on ebay, reasonably priced, search by postcode and in Pets section.
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Post by quambie on Jun 10, 2010 11:27:32 GMT 8
thebean11
The trouble with the new globes is that they do not give out heat at all that's the point of them you have to find the old style ones or purchase a spot light type the ones that you use outside and paint them red so the chicks do not get blinded by the strong light Trev
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Post by luv4ducks on Jun 10, 2010 11:56:39 GMT 8
I agree with everyone here, they do need heat for a bit longer at this time of year, but if they are in an enclosed area, where they are free from drafts, as long as they have dry bedding they can keep them selves warm by huddling together. Even my adult birds get cold at this time of year, I have the hay deep enough for them to burrow into, they seem happy enough, they certainly don't come out of the shed in any hurry in the morning, even for food
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Post by whoohooraloo on Jun 10, 2010 13:02:57 GMT 8
I'm using a spotlight type one but with a smaller globe the lights are about $12 at bunnings and got the smaller globe in coles for about $3. they are so many w eg 28w equivelent to 40 or 60 w. They are giving off heat and chicks seem happy. When mine go outside they will get the lamp at night prob till the weather warms a bit. Ive used these lights 3 times so far and haven't lost a chick so must be warm enough. Get burnt if touched so must be.
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Post by jacquie on Jun 11, 2010 16:08:28 GMT 8
i got a heat lamp from wa poultry equipment in baldivis. i have had it a few years and only at teh end of last year did i need to get a new bulb. it is an infra red lamp, and it will cover 100 chicks to keep them warm. i do not have that many at a time. i have a wooden crate on my back verandah and once the chicks are mobile (a few days old) they go into that and keep lovely and warm. the sides are high enough to cut out windy draughts and the top is just covered with wire. i have successfully raised many batches of chicks with this arrangement, although atm my box needs a little bit of a repair lol
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kitty
New Member
Posts: 37
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Post by kitty on Jun 27, 2010 6:58:45 GMT 8
My chicks are now 8 weeks old. I still have a (red 25w) light on them of a night time. Had such a hard heavy frost Friday that i was so pleased i had left the light on as it had been forgotten when we closed the shed up and i had to find a torch to go down and turn it on after i remembered, nearly hadn't gone. I plan on leaving my light on the chicks at night until they are 10 weeks old. Our permanent pen is finished but being so large and with the chicks still receiving light we haven't moved them into it yet. Shant be doing so now for another couple of weeks either as we had a clean up in the shed and I decided to use the unused insulation batts and insulate their pen roof. We put up some brackets (can't remember what they are called now) then the batts and them rummaged through the gyprock pieces which we put up as a ceiling over that. Just need to paint the ceiling now. Spoilt chooks for sure as I'm told they will now have a 5 star coop by the time they move in. We still have some batts so I am going to keep these aside so that if we have any roof sheeting over from the remaining building then we may insulate and line the walls as well. We shall see.
Kitty
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kitty
New Member
Posts: 37
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Post by kitty on Jul 13, 2010 8:11:19 GMT 8
My chicks have now been housed outside in their permanent coop for a couple of weeks. They seem to love it as there is heaps more room for them. No light and wouldn't you believe it? but have had some of our coldest nights since the big move. Kitty
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Post by whoohooraloo on Jul 13, 2010 9:45:38 GMT 8
Mine too, but I have been leaving the light on. Think I can turn it off in the day now though as they are 6 wks this week and don't seem to use it in the day.
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Post by quambie on Jul 16, 2010 10:21:01 GMT 8
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Post by ikbokchook on Jul 16, 2010 12:49:22 GMT 8
Ohh! I must be a mean Mum! Lol! I put mine outside during the day, and inside the brooder (with no light on!) in the shed from 4 weeks! They seem to cope just fine and snuggle up together for warmth! I also think it encourages them to feather up more quickly too!
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Post by jacquie on Jul 16, 2010 17:51:24 GMT 8
hey ikbokchook, that doesn't make you a mean mum unless there were only a few chicks that you put out together. chicks in larger groups do a good job of keeping each other warm on those chilly nights, especially when they have a cardboard box actiing as a cold brooder.
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Post by ikbokchook on Jul 16, 2010 19:56:46 GMT 8
Jacquie - then I AM a bad Mum! I've only got the three out at the moment - but they are secure in a warm shed, in a warm box (not cardboard, but a plastic brooder box with lots of hay) and they seem to be thriving? I rely on - no draughts, lots of hay and well feathered chicks! They are doing extremely well and tolerate the weather admirably!
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