Heat lamp question, advice please

[MrsC]

Hi all,

Just a quick question, if I was going to make a homemade incubator (maybe in the future ) what type of heat lamp would I need and is the heat lamp in an incubator the same as the one in a brooder?

[Suechooks]

I can only tell you about my own incubator - no experience of others! Mine has a golf ball bulb in - can't remember the size but I guess it would vary with the number of eggs anyway. I have a heat lamp which I had from dog breeding called a "dull emitter" which isn't the usual red light but gives off heat without any light. I believe a lot of folk use just a red light bulb- the sort which go in electric fires. I think you'd need both as you move the chicks into the brooder when there may be some not hatched so you couldn't take it out. I saw some infrared lamps today at my feed merchants so they're easily available.
I've just had a look in a book "Incubation - a guide to hatching and rearing" by Katie Thear and that has a chapter on home made incubators and various brooders too. Its a good buy - £6.95 I think. Is this your winter project?!!

[its hilly]

He he he

...(maybe in the future )

Dont know about a bought in brooder. I have a heat lamp and bulb I bought at the local farm supply, its a white light bulb not the red one as someone somewhere (probably on here) said that was better for chooks. I use a massive dog pen, start off with cardboard round the outside and the bulb hung low enough to give the 37.5c as they come out of the inci, then gradually lift it (it hangs on a chain), mine are 5 weeks now and either fully or nearly fully feathered, so Ive started leaving it off for half a day but still on at night and theyre not bothered.

[RichmondHens]

Never tried making an incubator. We have so many broody bantam hens here come Spring there is no need. Anyone passing my way who wants a broody please call in!

[steve'n'sal]

We have silkies, natures little incubators. Pekins are good broodies too. Never made an incubator but I have made a brooder, and have incubated eggs before. Incubating eggs is a delicate balance of temperature and humidity get them wrong and expect less than satisfactory results as we have found before.

[RichmondHens]

Notice you are in North Norfolk Steve/Sal - so am I. Wonder if you are near me? I'm near Edgefield.

[steve'n'sal]

you aren't too far away at all. We live in Thorpe Market which nestles nicely between North Walsham and Cromer.