[gmacp]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick question...I bought a 175W heat lamp for the chickens - I was just about to swap it with the ordinary 60W bulb I have in there when I realised that the socket may not be suitable. Do any of you use heat lamps, and do you think I should change the socket to one of the ceramic ones?

Cheers!

[ellisr]

I have heat lamps and they already have ceramic sockets

[doganjo]

I use heat lamps for puppies and my adult dogs in the kennels.  They have ceramic bulbs, the sockets and plugs are normal plastic ones.  I have a very sensitive RCD so if anything heats up or blows I know about it instantly.

Plus I have a smoke alarm in the kennels, obviously there are a couple in the house too.

[moorlander]

Hi there.
An ordinary white light will keep your chickens awake and probably restless. They need to sleep.
They say chickens can't see red light (e.g. red heat lamps). I don't beleive this. When I used one my hens were very upset. I think they might even associate it with fire? My chicks loved it for rearing (try stopping a chick sleeping when it has a mind to!) but the hens hated it and seemed afraid.
Ceramic lamps give no light and are prob the best bet. I used one to play on the hen's water but it was nigh useless for that purpose. At least they were not upset by it. You might also consider a greenhouse-type metal tube heater which are also fairly bullet-proof (and not too expensive with a fairly long life). I've got one but have never installed it to date.

good luck