Little Giant 250 Watt Red Bulb For Brooder Lamp

Details

A 250 watt, 120 volt red bulb rated at 6,000 hours, with an alloy bulb and a non-stick base so it comes back out of the socket next spring without a fight. This is the standard bulb for a brooder lamp. Red is not decoration. Extension guidance from more than one university is consistent on the point: strong white light over young birds encourages feather pecking and cannibalism, and red is preferable because it is less stimulating. Chicks under red settle better, and a batch that settles is a batch that grows. A 250 watt bulb throws real heat, which is what you need brooding chicks through a March in Alberta when the shed is barely above freezing overnight. Hang it so you can raise it as the chicks feather out, and read the birds rather than the thermometer: piled directly under the lamp means too cold, pressed out against the walls means too warm, spread evenly means you have it right. Use it only in a fixture rated for the wattage, keep it well away from bedding, and check the fixture and cord over before each brooding season.