Chicken heater at home homemade. Devices for heating chickens. Lighting mode for young animals

If you are faced with the task of raising chickens, then you need to understand that they need special care. Creating comfortable conditions should be a top priority, otherwise it will hardly be possible to raise a healthy bird.

Rearing chicks under a hen makes the job easier as there is no need for additional heating. The chicks also learn from their mothers how to find food and water. However, nothing is impossible, and it is quite possible to raise healthy chickens without a hen.

What lamps are used to raise chickens?

For installation in an aviary with chickens, you can use different types of lighting:

• Fluorescent lamps.

The main advantage is economy. The main disadvantage is the frequent flickering, which is imperceptible to the human eye, but the vision of chickens is much sharper. Because of this, the light can irritate the birds.

• LED.

They are also economical in terms of power consumption and are devoid of the flicker effect. In addition, such lighting has a long service life, has the proper level of protection, and emits light of a different spectrum. The main disadvantage is the high cost, so not everyone can afford this coverage.

• Combined.

They give both infrared and are a good option for installation in aviaries with chickens.

• infrared.

They help to save on electricity, have an acceptable cost. According to poultry farmers, this type of heating is most suitable for birds.

For growing chickens, electric heating pads, water heating, and a stove are also used as heaters, however, infrared lamps are always the most popular, which help to solve the problem of lighting and heating at the same time.

What is an infrared lamp?

Represents the highest quality thermal emitter. She gained great popularity not only for this reason - high productivity can be achieved with minimal cost electricity, which is especially important when growing a large number of birds.

Terms of use

In order for the chickens to be safe, it is necessary to adhere to the rules of operation. Therefore, the bird lamp should be used in conjunction with luminaires equipped with ceramic cartridges. This will help prevent moisture and flammable straw from getting into them.

Principle of operation

The IR lamp for heating chickens functions very simply - in the course of its operation, electricity is converted into infrared radiation. The design is quite safe, since thick glass is used in the production of a glass bulb, which is protected from moisture and shock. A special reflective material is applied to the inside of the glass to help focus and direct light and heat onto the chicks. Lamps must be installed at a height of 30-40 cm from the floor.

A 250 W chicken heating lamp is able to light and heat a room of 10 square meters. m. This is quite enough for raising birds. However, it is wiser to install several lamps in the brooder for chickens in case one of them burns out. Otherwise, if you are not around, the chickens will be left without heating, and this can turn into a tragedy for them and for you, respectively.

In order for chickens to grow, two factors must be observed: the organization of a closed space and a thermal / light regime, since they are highly sensitive to temperature changes.

Chick behavior

In the course of observing birds, you can find out if they are comfortable living in a brooder. If the chickens run around the room, then there is nothing to worry about - they are warm and comfortable. If they huddle together, concentrate near the lamp, then they are cold. Then you need to install the IR lamp lower or increase the heating.

When the room is too hot, the chickens will behave quietly, pant and disperse to the sides. It is necessary to reduce the heating or install the lamp higher.

You can breed broilers and chickens egg breeds. The latter are much more mobile so that they do not waste their energy, you can build fences. It is also necessary to install a drinking bowl and a feeder.

What are the benefits of a heating lamp for chickens?

• It is able to maintain an optimal level of moisture in the brooder with chickens due to the fact that excess moisture particles in the air evaporate when heated.
• The infrared light emits a calm and soft light that does not irritate the chicks and reduces their aggressiveness.
• Helps to improve the appetite of birds and the assimilation of feed.
• has a beneficial effect on the immune system of chickens.
• Such a heater has a high efficiency.
• Energy costs are 4 times less compared to other types of heaters.
• IR radiation dries out the bedding.

It is worth remembering that it is acceptable to heat chickens with an infrared lamp, but not adult birds.

How to organize a brooder?

The place where the chickens will live is called the brooder. Day-old chicks are placed in it immediately, the care of which in the first days of life is most important.

Chickens stay in the aviary for 3 weeks, after which they will need to be transplanted into a brooder with feeders around the perimeter.

In the early days, newspapers or cloth should be laid on the floor of the brooder so that the chicks are warm and do not blow from below. It is also necessary that the heating lamp for chickens emit heat at 30 degrees, this will help dissolve the yolk in their stomachs. The growth and health of birds will depend on this. Such conditions must be maintained for 5 days. Further on the 10th day, the temperature should be at the level of 26 degrees, then every week it is necessary to reduce it by 3 degrees. To quickly navigate the level of heat, it is worth installing a thermometer.

A brooder for chickens can be made with the following parameters: length 70 cm, width 50, height 40. It is better to choose plywood as a material for the side walls, and roofing iron for the bottom.

While the chickens are growing, they are kept in 100-200 units in an aviary, after they reach three weeks of age, they are seated in 50 individuals in new aviaries.

Light mode

If you have day old chicks, care and proper light regimen will have a big impact on their performance.

Experienced poultry farmers raise chickens in windowless aviaries with constantly shortening daylight hours. Reducing 30 minutes of daylight per week can delay puberty, but will also promote good growth, ending the molt before laying, resulting in larger eggs with stronger shells.

On the farm, this regime is appropriate only for chickens taken for cultivation in June, when it lasts 15-16 hours. If April-May brood chickens are raised, then they should be kept in an aviary with curtained windows and walked after sunrise. Long daylight hours provoke premature egg laying, and this leads to a decrease in productivity.

Thus, it is worth paying attention to every little detail in order to succeed in raising chickens. It is worth remembering that the heating lamp for chickens is of particular importance in poultry farming. In addition, it is used in raising livestock.

An important factor The correct development of chicks in the hen house is a sufficient level of heat and a correctly selected light regime. All this can be achieved with the help of special lamps.

Light mode

The length of daylight is very important when growing young chickens - proper lighting largely regulates the physiological activity of chicks. In the early days, the temperature should be kept at 33-34 degrees, since even slight hypothermia can lead to the death of chickens. To prevent this from happening, they use special lamps, they not only illuminate the chicken coop, but also heat it, creating all the conditions necessary to maintain the normal life of the birds.

In the first month of the life of the chicks, the aviary should be evenly lit - a wakefulness zone is set up around the drinkers, lamps are always on there, it is desirable that they be low-power (no more than 15-20 W) and be supplemented with reflectors.

Thus, chickens will be able to see feeders and drinkers around the clock and, as needed, drink water and peck hard food, but young birds prefer to sleep in twilight.

Keep in mind, there should not be complete darkness in any zone of the chicken coop- Recent studies have shown that during the first 20 days of a chicken's life, he needs round-the-clock illumination, since in this way the growth of muscle mass is stimulated and the physical activity of the bird increases. As the birds grow, constant illumination begins to oppress the birds.

The fact is that Darkness is considered to be as important a factor in the health of birds as light. The time of darkness in the lighting program for young animals is determined by two basic parameters - the duration of daylight hours and its frequency during the day. Until quite recently, there was an opinion that the best ratio for chickens would be 23 hours of light and 1 hour of darkness. However, recent studies have shown that for the full growth of chickens, they need at least 4 hours of darkness, this ratio can significantly reduce the loss of birds.

This effect is largely due to the fact that in complete darkness the synthesis of melatonin occurs in chickens, which affects the balance of daily fluctuations in body temperature and other metabolic processes. In addition, melatonin has an effect on the release of lymphokines responsible for the state of the immune system.

That is why the most comfortable for birds will be the cyclical change in the phases of lighting during the day.

Lighting types

Several types of lamps are used for installation in an aviary.

• Incandescent lamps- cheap and affordable, but at the same time an extremely impractical option. Such lamps are easy to break and injure young birds.

• Fluorescent- this is the main advantage of such equipment is reduced to their efficiency and low cost. However, at the same time, they are characterized by frequent flickering, which is imperceptible to the human eye - chickens have much sharper eyesight. Such lighting irritates the birds, they become restless and apathetic.

• LED- These are slightly better lamps that are devoid of a flickering effect. Such equipment has a fairly long service life, equipped with high level protection and can emit light of several spectrums It is best to use white spectrum lamps, but if possible you can combine them with blue-green light sources - the first calms, and under the influence of the second chickens grow better. But the cost of LEDs is quite high, so not every poultry house can afford such a lighting system.

• by the most the best option considered infrared lamps. According to experienced poultry farmers, this type of lighting is most desirable in a chicken coop, it is most suitable for birds, has the ability to illuminate and heat at the same time, can significantly reduce energy costs and at the same time has a fairly affordable price.

infrared lighting

Infrared lamps with a heating regulator are heat emitters used when raising a large number of birds at the same time. The operation of an IR lamp for heating is somewhat similar to the principle of the Sun. Its rays touch objects, illuminate them, and then begin to heat the latter, in turn, give their received heat to the environment and thereby contribute to the heating of the air.

Technical parameters of infrared lamps:

• power - 50-500 W;
• limit temperature - 600 degrees;
• range of IR waves - 3.5-5 microns;
• mains voltage - 220 V;
• period of work - 6 thousand hours.

The most effective are mirror lamps, as well as lamps made of red glass. Typically, these warming lights are installed with special lamps equipped with ceramic cartridges - this is important to ensure the safety of the chickens and prevent them from burning, and they also minimize the risk of flammable straw or water entering the lamp.

During the operation of such a lamp, electrical energy is converted into an infrared spectrum. Its design is reliable, since rather thick glass is usually used to make the jar-flask, which protects against impacts. The inner surface of the lamp is usually coated with a reflective pigment, which allows the light beams to be focused and directed towards the chicks.

Usually one 250 watt lamp is enough to light a 10 square meter chicken coop or brooder. m, however, experienced breeders prefer to install several lamps in the brooder at once in case of burnout and failure of one of them. If this is not done, then in your absence, the chickens may be left without light and heat, which often ends in the death of the young.

The advantages of infrared lamps are obvious:

• soft and calm light - such lighting does not irritate the birds and reduces their level of aggressiveness;
• The IR spectrum helps to increase the appetite of pets, improves the digestibility and assimilation of feed;
• the radiation of such a lamp significantly increases immunity;
• the heater has a high efficiency, due to which the cost of electricity is reduced in comparison with other heaters by 3-4 times;
• IR light can dry out the litter and thus make the microclimate more suitable for birds.

Infrared lamps work absolutely silently, while they heat objects and living beings very quickly - the heat comes after only 27 seconds. This is an eco-friendly device that is absolutely safe for both the birds themselves and their breeders.

However, it was not without drawbacks. With a long stay in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe lamp, the mucous membrane of the eyes begins to dry out in a person, and with careless handling, burns are possible if accidentally touched. However, these shortcomings are insignificant, and all risks are reduced to zero if the safety rules for working with lighting equipment are observed.

A red lamp for hatched chickens should be placed at a distance of 30-40 cm.

To understand whether they have enough light and heat in this case is very simple - you just need to look at the behavior of the young. In comfortable conditions, pets are evenly dispersed throughout the enclosure. But if you notice that the chickens are huddled together and tend to be closer to the lamp, then they are cold. In this case, it is necessary to lower the light and heat source a little lower or add its power.

When the birds are hot, they begin to crawl around and breathe heavily - this will be the first signal to raise the lamp a little higher or reduce its power. When working with IR lamps, it is very important to follow safety rules.

When raising chickens, care must be taken to create favorable conditions for them. Young animals must be provided with a certain temperature regime. A warm floor is made in the aviary, and heating is carried out inside different kind lamps. Certain requirements are imposed on the size of the area and the number of heating devices located on it.

Organization of the brooder

Chickens need to be warm. This is provided by lamps. The temperature in the brooder is maintained at 30 degrees for the first 5 days. Over the next five, it drops by 4 degrees and is 26. In the future, every week the decrease goes by 3 degrees.

Such a space is filled with chickens in the amount of 100-200 units. They are kept there for 3 weeks, and then they are seated 50 pieces in different rooms.

Light mode

The light regime has a significant impact on the formation of the future bird. D For this, the room is built without windows.. The main light comes from lamps.

For June chicks, if every week to reduce daylight hours by 30 minutes, puberty individuals will slow down. However, this will contribute to their physical development. The end of the molt will pass before the oviposition. As a result, future eggs will be larger with a strong shell.

Young growth, which appeared in April-May, should be walked in the evening, when the sun has already set. The rest of the time keep in an aviary. An increase in daylight leads to the beginning of the process of premature egg laying. And this slows down physical development.

Floor insulation

A warm floor is a necessary condition for the life of chickens. To do this, it is better to use natural raw materials. Peat, sawdust, hay or dry grass are applicable here. A small layer is laid and changed as it gets dirty. The best option is moss peat. It has the ability to absorb moisture.

as sawdust It is better to use wood from coniferous trees. This breed does not cake, absorbs moisture and has a bactericidal effect.

Dry straw or dried grass is suitable as a heater. They are great at retaining heat.

Growing chickens is not a difficult process, but it requires a careful approach. Young animals must be provided with optimal conditions for existence. If you allow a deviation, then the consequences can be the worst. Chicks do not tolerate cold and will not survive even with a slight oversight.

Chicken heating

To heat the room, various heaters are used, which at home can be made by hand. Could it be a water heater?, a bottle of warm water or infrared lamp for chickens.

When heating, you need to remember that the temperature in the space of the brooder is uneven. Near the heater, it is 3-6 degrees higher. Young growth is distinguished by mobility and the thermal indicator is very important for them. Therefore, in the early days, it is better to divide the room into several parts. Heating is carried out during the month.

infrared lamp

The red lamp for heating chickens has a ceramic socket. This is necessary so that moisture or flammable hay does not get inside. The infrared lamp for heating chickens works on the principle of converting electrical energy into infrared radiation.

This lamp is easy to make with your own hands. For this, a hollow glass vessel with impact-resistant glass is taken. The interior has a reflective coating. Thus, the light stream is focused on the object. The device is suspended at a distance of 40 cm from the floor level.

Such a heater for chickens is economical . Its power is 250W. Heats an area of ​​10 sq. m. As a rule, these lamps are used 2 per brooder. This is due to the fact that one can burn out.

Chickens can not do without heat. If they all accumulated near the lamp, then they are cold. You should lower the lamp below or screw in the bulb more powerfully. If the chicks are hot, they scatter in different corners. Then the lamp should be raised.

Important factors for the proper development of the chick - fever and proper lighting, which can be maintained with a heater and a light source in one, an infrared chick lamp.

There are several types of chick warmer lamps that light up the house and help keep the heat in through the high incandescence.

Fluorescent

Not the most common choice of poultry farmers, despite the obvious economy. They have an increased frequency of flicker, which is felt by the chicks. In an attempt to avoid the flickering effect, chicks congregate in areas of least light exposure and the litter there becomes wet.

LED

They do not have a flickering effect, which makes them more popular with bird breeders. But the list of advantages is not limited to this. They allow you to adjust the degree and color of illumination, are long-term in use and are absolutely non-toxic. LED is an ideal choice, but not every poultry farmer can get it due to the high price.

infrared

The most popular devices for creating conditions for the growth of chicks. They are chosen because of a number of advantages over others.

Infrared lamps for chickens:

• help to maintain an optimal level of humidity;
• make chickens more calm and friendly;
• positively affect appetite and immunity;
• economical to use.

Infrared radiation can be harmful to adult chickens. Therefore, they can only be used indoors with chickens.

Combined

These are infrared lamps, which can also provide a spectrum of ultraviolet radiation that is beneficial to the health of chickens.

Infrared lamp: working principle and application

The principle of operation of an IR lamp is simple: it converts electricity into infrared radiation. Inside, thick shockproof glass is surrounded by reflective material, the task of which is to focus the light on the kids.

Even the most modern infrared lamp is not immune to light bulb burnout. Therefore, experienced poultry farmers advise buying several devices at once so that the problem with lighting does not affect the well-being of the chicks.

• In the first days of chicks' life, infrared lamps should be kept at a level of 30-40 cm above the floor. But with the growth of chickens, a light source suspended at such a height will not be able to cover all the birds, so it needs to be raised periodically.
• Every week the chick needs lower and lower air temperatures, and with the rise of the heater, it is maintained at an optimal level.

Despite all the obvious advantages of IR devices, they are dangerous for young animals. They can only be used in rooms with chicks.

Infrared radiation is used for pets.

For young animals, it is also necessary to create comfortable conditions, since it is at this stage of life that the reproductive system develops in chickens, and if the illumination standards are not observed, the birds will begin to lay small eggs. But young hens, unlike chickens, are adapted to room temperature. Juveniles only need light regulation.

The duration of artificially created daylight hours affects egg production and weight gain.

Many people think that during the entire maturation of a chicken, its rapid growth is desirable, which is why they increase the number of daylight hours. Yes, early puberty will bring the start of egg laying closer. But you will achieve quick results at the expense of the quality and size of the eggs. In order for a young hen to lay large eggs in large numbers, her development can be slightly delayed using a light rhythm.

Light day for young animals should last from 10 to 18 hours, depending on your goals.

Also, the use of different colors of illumination will help regulate the behavior of chickens:

• red color has a bad effect on the number of eggs laid, but prevents eating feathers;
• the blue color calms the birds;
• orange color increases the number of birds mating;
• green has a positive effect on the growth of young animals.

In winter, the duration of daylight hours and the intensity of illumination should be increased.

How to choose a quality infrared lamp

Today the most popular manufacturers of IR devices in Russia are Philips, Osram and InterHeat. The devices of these companies are distinguished by a long service life and excellent quality.

When choosing lighting for chicks and hens, don't go cheap - it will result in even more costs or more serious problems. Unlicensed devices often "shoot out" when the voltage changes, which can seriously injure birds.

Be sure to pay attention to the protection of the case from various external influences.

Optimal conditions for keeping chickens

Since the chicks are raised indoors, they need an artificial light source that allows the chicks to regulate their daylight hours. This source can be a red lamp for chickens. And an increase in its duration has a positive effect on the growth of birds.

Daylight hours for newly hatched chicks should last 23-24 hours. As you grow, the figure should be gradually reduced and brought to 10 by the eighteenth week.

An important condition for keeping a chicken is the correct room temperature. But it changes by 1-4 degrees with the growth of the chick. After 40 days, the chicks get used to room temperature and the heating can be removed.

The main indicator of the correct temperature in the room is the behavior of the chickens themselves. In good conditions, they move well, eat and drink water in moderation. If the room becomes cool, the chicks begin to stray into groups and tend to heat sources. When overheated, they drink a lot of water, and try to stay alone.

In case of non-compliance temperature conditions chickens in the early stages of their lives become more susceptible to diseases, which in the future will affect the quality of their meat, eggs and offspring. Therefore, the heating of the chickens must be balanced: the room should not be allowed to be too hot or too cold.

No matter how much you say, but chickens, especially when it comes to daily and week-old chicks, need careful care. It is imperative to provide optimal conditions for their life. Heating for chickens is the first thing you should take care of. Among all heaters, only infrared lamps perform a dual function: heating the air and illuminating the box.

When the chicks hatch out home incubator took place, it is very important to provide high-quality care for them at first. Young growth is generally unadapted to external factors, a sharp change in temperature or humidity. That is why you should adhere to clear recommendations from experts, otherwise any minor oversight can lead to undesirable consequences.

The temperature during the first five days after hatching should be around +28…+30 °C. Whatever apparatus for heating after the incubator you decide to purchase, it is advisable to constantly monitor the temperature regime, which means that you cannot do without a thermometer.

In the next five days, it is recommended to gradually reduce the set indicators, since by the tenth day of keeping the chickens, the temperature in the brooder should not exceed +26 ° C. In the future, follow the approximate scheme: for several months, the temperature should drop by 3-4 degrees weekly.

Remember that it is recommended to pay attention not only to the thermometer data, but also to the condition of the chicks: if the temperature is not optimal for them, this will be noticeable by the activity of the chicks. The temperature regime is set illiterately if the following picture is observed:

• chicks are constantly in groups and move very little - this means that they simply freeze;
• chicks have fluff and wings bristling, they drink a lot of water and try to stay away from each other - it is better to lower the temperature in the device a little.

Whatever lamp for chickens is installed in a brooder or cardboard box, try to stick to the golden mean in the process of heating them. Both from hypothermia and from excessively high temperatures, the chicks suffer equally, they become weak and turn into easy prey for viral infections.

What lighting should be

The organization of competent lighting in a mini-chicken coop is no less important than a device for heating chickens. Having an optimal light source will help day-old chicks find their way around in a new place, as well as find food and water. Many experts are convinced that with proper lighting of the brooder, chickens peck at each other much less. It is also necessary to ensure that all manipulations are performed without unnecessary stress for the young, even vaccination will be calmer in such conditions.

Whatever lamp you prefer to install in a box for small chickens, the device must be illuminated according to a certain program, which you can modify yourself. The system can be continuous (that is, only one phase of darkness is allowed) or discontinuous (with several pauses during the illumination process). Remember: you can’t constantly leave the light on in the brooder, because this way you will only harm the birds. The thing is that at night, in week-old and monthly chicks, bone tissue begins to form more actively, and calcium metabolism also changes. That is, the immune system is noticeably strengthened in young animals.

Proper heating of a mini-chicken coop is not the only point that requires increased attention. Just as you will reduce the temperature in the process of rearing small chickens, a similar situation should develop with the duration of lighting.

Domestic farmers, even those who breed birds at home, know for sure that by reducing daylight hours by 30 minutes every week, you significantly stimulate the growth of chicks. Of course, it is believed that with this approach, the intensity of puberty of future chickens and roosters somewhat slows down, but in return you will get strong chicks, the molting period of which will end by the time the first oviposition occurs. Thus, you will get large eggs that have a fairly hard shell.

How much power a lamp is needed for constant heating and lighting of chickens depends on the variety that you keep in the brooder and some other factors.

Heating systems

Surely you have heard that modern farmers use not only a common infrared lamp to heat chickens. You can also heat the device in which you raise chicks at first with the help of the following devices:

• luminescent apparatus. Such lamps are valued due to their efficiency. However, for the birds themselves, this is not the best option, since the flickering light source only annoys them;
• LED. Among the key advantages of this heating system are not only efficiency, but also a long service life, as well as long flickering. However, such a device is not cheap, be prepared for this;
• infrared. The power of such UV bulbs is not bad, but at the same time they are economical and not too expensive.