Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
location for the brooder, if the power to the shed tends to flicker and go off, one cold
night could kill your chicks.
HEAT BULB
The heat bulb turns an ordinary box o' chicks into an incubator. Though for years people
have used 100-watt bulbs to raise chicks at home, I'd strongly advise an ultraviolet heat
bulb that's specifically manufactured for use with animals. Costing only a few dollars
more than standard bulbs, ultraviolet bulbs (which come in red or white) do a far better
job of keeping animals warm, and the heat source is consistent for the life of the bulb,
which may last you a few years!
LAMP AND LAMP CAGE
A metal lamp and cage are just as crucial as the heat bulb, being integral to keeping your
chicks safe. Clamp your lamp securely. For added safety, hang it from a chain or rope so
if the clamp fails the lamp won't fall into the brooder and cause a fire. There must be a
metal cage or wires on the lamp to keep the bulb from touching anything directly, and
the socket must be ceramic, not plastic. Most feed stores carry these lamps in late winter
and early spring, when hatcheries are shipping all over America. If you don't have a
feed store nearby, many online chicken sites will ship them overnight.
BEDDING
Pine shavings are my problem-free favorite choice. (Cedar shavings can clog chicks'
lungs, so I avoid them.) You can also use strips of newspaper or scraps of construction
paper if you have that lying around. I would avoid using straw or mulch hay. It's awfully
coarse and rough when you're just a couple of days old and weigh only a few ounces.
Imagine placing two-day-old humans on a pile of bamboo rods. Same thing.
You can clamp your heat lamp to a board laid across the top of the brooder box
.
