What lamps are used to heat the brooder of chickens. The right way to heat chicks with heat lamps. Principle of operation, rules of use

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 using special lamps.

Light mode

The length of daylight hours is very important when raising 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, special lamps are used, 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 chicks' life, the aviary should be illuminated evenly - 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 the feeders and drinkers around the clock and, as needed, drink water and peck on grain feed, but young birds prefer to sleep in the twilight.

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

The fact is that darkness is considered as fundamental to bird health 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. More 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 full growth of chickens they need at least 4 hours of darkness, this ratio can significantly reduce the mortality of birds.

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

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

Lighting types

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

• Incandescent lamps- cheap and affordable, but extremely impractical option. These lamps are easy to break and injure young birds.

• Luminescent- this main advantage of such equipment comes down to their efficiency and low cost. However, at the same time, they are characterized by frequent flickering, which is imperceptible to the human eye - in chickens, vision is much sharper. Such lighting annoys birds, they become restless and apathetic.

• LED- these are slightly better quality lamps that are devoid of the flickering effect. Such equipment has a rather long service life, is equipped with high level protection and can emit light of several spectra It is best to use lamps of the white spectrum, but if possible, you can combine them with light sources of the blue green spectrum - 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.

• The most the best option are 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 light 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 heating control - heat emitters used when raising a large number of birds at the same time. The action of the infrared heating lamp 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 off their received heat environment and thereby contribute to heating the air.

Technical parameters of infrared lamps:

• power - 50-500 W;
• limiting temperature - 600 degrees;
• IR wavelength range - 3.5-5 microns;
• mains voltage - 220 V;
• working period - 6 thousand hours.

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

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

Usually one 250 W lamp is enough to illuminate a chicken coop or brooder with an area of ​​10 square meters. m, however, experienced breeders prefer to install several lamps in a brooder at once in case one of them burns out or fails. 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 the level of their aggressiveness;
• The IR spectrum increases 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 by 3-4 times in comparison with other heaters;
• Infrared light can dry out the bedding 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 reaches after only 27 seconds. This is an environmentally friendly device that is absolutely safe for both the birds themselves and their breeders.

However, it was not without its drawbacks. With a prolonged stay in the work area of ​​the lamp, the mucous membrane of the eyes begins to dry out in a person, and in case of careless handling, burns are not excluded if accidentally touched. However, these disadvantages are insignificant, and all risks are reduced to zero if the safety rules for working with lighting equipment are observed.

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

To understand whether they have enough light and warmth in this case is very simple - you just need to take a closer look at the behavior of the young. In comfortable conditions, pets are evenly distributed 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 to the sides and breathe heavily - this will be the first signal to raise the lamp a little higher or turn down its power. When working with IR lamps, it is very important to follow the safety rules.

Chickens, unlike adults, need special care. Therefore, you must create a comfortable environment for them. In order to raise chickens healthy, various heaters are used: an electric heating pad, water heating, even a stove. But only an infrared lamp will help you solve the problem with both heating and lighting at the same time.

Infrared lamps are one of the highest quality heat emitters. At the same time, high productivity is ensured with minimal consumption of electrical energy.

You must understand that you always need to think about the safety of babies and adhere to the rules of operation. That is why the red lamp for heating chicks should only be used with lamps with special ceramic holders. So you can prevent moisture from entering them, as well as flammable materials such as hay, straw. The principle of operation of the red lamp, which is used to heat chickens, is very simple: it transforms electrical energy into infrared radiation. A high level of safety is provided by the design itself. For the manufacture of a glass bulb, thick waterproof impact-resistant glass is used. The inner surface of the glass is covered with a special reflective material, the main purpose of which is to focus and direct heat and light in a narrow cone onto heated objects. Hang red heaters at a distance of 30-40 centimeters from the floor.

A lamp with a power of 250 W is enough for lighting and heating a room with an area of ​​10 square meters. m. But it will still be better if you use two red ones at once to heat the chickens. Then if one of them burns out when you are not around, then for the little ones it will not be a big disaster.

Each farmer can tell you with confidence that in order for the mass of chickens to increase rapidly, only two factors need to be present:

• closed space;
• correct organization of light and thermal conditions.

Indeed, chickens are very sensitive to temperature extremes. Moreover, they have an amazing ability to find the most comfortable area in the room.

To understand if your kids are cold, or if they are, on the contrary, overheated, you just need to observe their behavior. If the chickens are "scattered" evenly throughout the room, then they are warm and comfortable.

If they huddle together, make noise, try to be closer to the red lamp, then this behavior indicates that the kids are frozen. Then you need to lower the infrared lamp a little lower, or increase its power.

When chickens are hot, they behave quietly, breathe heavily, and crawl to the sides. For you, this is the first signal that you need to raise the red lamp for heating, or reduce its power.

If you are raising chickens egg breeds then keep in mind that they are more agile and active than baby broilers. That is why it will not be difficult for them to find a drinker or a feeder. Therefore, if you keep chicks in a spacious room, to heat which you use several red lamps, then build small fences. They will help reduce chick movement in the first 2 weeks. Kids will not scatter and waste their energy looking for a warm place.

Let's highlight some of the advantages of infrared lamps over other heaters:

• when heated, excess moisture particles that are in the air evaporate, so the red lamp maintains an optimal level of humidity in the room in which the chickens are kept;
• calm, soft radiation does not irritate babies, reduces their aggressiveness;
• help to improve the appetite of chickens, and also increases the absorption of feed;
• have a beneficial effect on the immunity of babies;
• infrared heaters have a high efficiency;
• absorb four times less electricity than water heaters or other types of heaters.

However, you should take into account that infrared lamps, the main purpose of which is to heat the chicks, should only be used in the room where the chicks are located. Their radiation can be harmful to older birds.

What other lamps are used?

You can use other lamps to heat the birds. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, which you should be aware of.

Fluorescent lamps. The only plus of using these llamas is economy. But, despite the reduced energy consumption, the use of such lamps for heating can have extremely negative consequences. After all, they also have a huge drawback - a high flicker frequency (about a hundred times per second). Of course, the flicker frequency can be different, and it depends on various factors (manufacturer, quality of materials). Of course, flicker is imperceptible to the human eye. But the chicks have much sharper vision. Therefore, near such a lamp, the birds will feel uncomfortable, the birds will accumulate in those areas of the room in which the harmful flicker will not be so noticeable. In these areas, the litter will be wet and release huge amounts of ammonia.

LED lamp. Like fluorescent lamps, they can significantly save energy costs and this type of lamp has no flickering effect at all. But these are not the only advantages that these promising light sources have:

1. long term of exploitation;
2. provide the ability to adjust the illumination level from zero to nominal;
3. the composition completely excludes the presence of toxic substances;
4. have a high level of protection against any kind of negative external influences;
5. contribute to the regulation of bird behavior by emitting light of a different spectrum (for example, red - to reduce aggression).

The only drawback of LED bulbs is the high price. Therefore, not every poultry breeder can afford such a pleasure yet.

Combined lamps. In addition to infrared radiation, they also give ultraviolet radiation. This type of appliance is believed to be more useful for small chickens.

The choice is, of course, yours. However, most professional poultry farmers still prefer the proven infrared lamps.

Warming Chicks Using a Lamp Video

In the video, a man demonstrates how he uses an infrared lamp to heat chickens.

Raising chickens is a complex process. If there is a hen that is constantly with the chicks, this issue is greatly simplified, since the chicken itself creates the chicks the necessary temperature regime and ensures their full development. But what about when the chicks hatch in the incubator? In this case, it is necessary to artificially create the necessary conditions for their growth and development. And the most important thing in this process is to provide heating for the brooder for the chickens.

It is very important to maintain the temperature and light conditions for raising chicks after the incubator. Most often, chick warmers combine both of these functions.

During the first days of chicks' life, a brooder for chicks should maintain a temperature of 30 degrees. It is important that the first five days of life do not jump and the degree does not fall below 29. The temperature regime should be monitored using a thermometer located slightly higher than the rug with bedding.

Starting from the sixth day, you can gradually cool the room. You can reduce the heating by one degree per day so that on the tenth day the brooder for chickens is warmed up to at least 26 degrees.

For the next twenty days of the chicks' life, the temperature should be gradually lowered by 3-4 degrees per week, so that by the first month the babies feel comfortable in a temperature of 18 degrees. The chicks are not yet ready for colder temperatures, so keep heating the chicks.

Advice! When raising small chickens at home, it is very important to monitor the temperature and their behavior. For small birds, not only low temperatures are destructive, but also too high. Therefore, when trying to warm them, it is important not to overdo it.

How well the heating is provided can be monitored by the behavior of each chick. If the ambient temperature is normal, the chick will run and interact with others. There will be activity in the brooder. If the ambient temperature is lower than required, the chicks will huddle together and try to warm each other. Noticing a handful of kids, you need to urgently increase the intensity of heating. Too much heat is also bad for chicks. If the chick bristles its feathers, opens its beak, and also drinks water often and greedily, then the chick warmer should be removed to reduce the temperature in the brooder.

In addition, it is worth remembering that if you use one device for heating, then the room will warm up unevenly and the far corner will be cold. Therefore, it is better to buy two heating lamps and distribute them on different sides. In addition to better heating, this will help to avoid sad consequences if one of the lamps suddenly burns out.

In addition to lamps, you can make do-it-yourself chicken heaters. Chicks can be kept warm by heating pads filled with hot water or plastic bottles... It is important to wrap them with cotton wool and a soft cloth so that the chicks do not burn themselves.

In addition to heating, it is equally important to organize proper lighting for the chicks. As well as lowering the temperature, bringing the chickens to ten-hour daylight hours is gradually brought to the age of at least two months.

Heating lamps

To maintain a good thermal regime and maintain the desired temperature, several types of lamps are used. Each of them has both positive characteristics and negative points. Which type is better? Which bulb to use to ensure optimal heat for the chicks? Each breeder decides this question individually, based on his preferences. Let's take a closer look at each type of lamp.

Fluorescent lamps

This type of lamp is one of the cheapest. They have a very low energy consumption and will help save energy costs. But their use for heating chicks is not always justified.

A characteristic feature of this type of lamp is a high flicker frequency. This is invisible to the human eye, but chicks react much more sharply. Flickering irritates them, they become nervous and most often stray to places where intense flickering is not so noticeable. In this regard, the rug in those places becomes damp and begins to emit an unpleasant odor.

LED lamp

Continuing to list the options, it is worth moving on to this type of lamp, most often it is used to heat the house. They also tend to conserve energy. But unlike the previous type, they do not flicker. In addition, they have a large list of positive qualities:

• long operation;
• there is the possibility of adjusting the level of illumination;
• non-toxic;
• allows you to regulate the behavior of chickens by emitting light from different parts of the spectrum.

Due to the large list of positive aspects, this type of lamps repels the high price, therefore, as already mentioned, only a large poultry house can afford them.

Combined lamps

This type of lamp is most useful when raising chickens. In addition to the fact that they have an infrared film, they also give ultraviolet radiation. And it is known to have good disinfecting properties. It kills pathogenic bacteria in the air and disinfects the rug. And has a positive effect on nervous system chicks, and also stimulate the development of vital organs.

Infrared lamps

The most commonly used infrared lamp for heating chicks. This is due to the fact that this type of lamp emits heat best of all, while also taking care of energy saving. They will be the best heaters, but keep your chicks safe in mind. It is necessary to protect the lamp from the ingress of flammable substances, and also place it out of the reach of chicks.

A red lamp for heating chickens can be made independently, for this they use not white bulbs, but covered with a red film. They convert electricity into infrared radiation while providing maximum safety. It is better to place such lamps 30 centimeters from the floor on which the rug is located.

An excellent heating will be a ceramic lamp with infrared radiation. They are more durable and resistant to various negative environmental influences. But it is worth remembering that they require a special type of cartridge.

To reduce the amount of warm-up as the chicks grow, the heaters should be moved further away. And as a precaution, you need to use two sources of heating. This will help preserve the offspring in the event that one of the lamps suddenly burns out or gets damaged. It is especially unpleasant when this happens when a person is not around. With a second lamp, the chickens will simply bunch together under the second heat source, and will not die of hypothermia.

Premises for chicks

In addition to the heating itself, the very room in which they are kept has a significant effect on the growth and development of the chicks. A chick brooder must be well prepared so that day-old chicks that require special care can be placed there straight away. After three weeks of life, chicks should be placed in a brooder with feeding trays around the perimeter.

It's not so difficult to build an aviary for chickens with your own hands. The main thing is to comply with the dimensions and provide it with heating. As a rule, the aviary has the following parameters: length and width 70 by 50, height 40 centimeters. The side rails are best made from plywood and the floor from roofing iron. It is important to remember that in the first days of life, the bottom of the brooder should be insulated with newspapers and a soft cloth so that it does not blow from below and the chickens feel comfortable.

Here are the basic requirements for a chick house in the first weeks of life:

• dry and non-slip floor, for this, it is laid under the fabric with a newspaper that absorbs moisture;
• if possible, it is better to organize a container for waste and excrement from below;
• good ventilation, but no drafts;
• maintaining moderate humidity;
• the desired temperature regime;
• lack of access of chicks to a heat source.

It is important to note that the size of the structure is primarily determined by the number of chicks that will be contained in it. The previously indicated dimensions of the aviary are designed for about 40-50 chicks, if a larger number of chicks are planned, then it is worth expanding the room or building another additional brooder. Savvy poultry farmers make aviaries from old bedside tables and mezzanines.

The first days of a chick's life are the most important. It is on their organization that the further vitality and development of young chickens depends. Correct heating and light regime, especially in the first five days of life, gives the rudiment to everything else, and if in natural conditions the brood provides this, then the incubator chicks need special care and are more finicky.

Do not forget that in addition to heating, chicks also need sunlight and walks in the fresh air. Before you start keeping young chickens in the barn, you need to prepare them for the environment. Short walks are great for this. In addition, walking promotes the accumulation of vitamin D, and better development of chicks.

Chicken coops, as a rule, do not have centralized heating and many poultry farmers are faced with the fact that in winter their pets freeze their scallops or paws or do not survive the winter at all.

For winter poultry farming, it is very important to have a well-insulated, windproof chicken coop, but with prolonged subzero temperatures outside, even in very well-insulated chicken coops, the temperature still drops to subzero, which is unacceptable.
An electric heater can help in such a situation.
Almost the most the best option for the chicken coop are ceiling infrared heaters.

Let's list the main advantages:
... A heater located in the middle of the ceiling heats all surfaces evenly.
... Unlike convectors, oil and fan heaters, it does not create air circulation, and therefore does not raise dust and hay.
... Since the infrared ceiling heater first heats the surfaces, the floor temperature will be about a degree higher than the air temperature. That is, the water in the drinking bowl will not freeze and the chickens will not freeze their paws. When using convection heaters, hot air will accumulate near the ceiling, and the floor temperature will be significantly lower and may turn out to be minus.
... Feathers, hay and bird waste are unlikely to hit the ceiling heater. Therefore, they will not stain the heater, impairing its efficiency and will not emit unpleasant odors when heated.
... The surface temperature of the ceiling infrared heater is 200-250 degrees. This is well below the temperature at which hay or fluff can catch fire. To ignite them, a temperature of about 400 degrees is required.
... When the heater is placed on the ceiling, it is easier to place the supply wires in such a way as to exclude them from accidental damage by birds.
... The offered ceiling infrared heaters are designed for a long service life. Working unattended throughout the winter is a normal and safe mode for them.
... Ceiling infrared heaters are economical.

Model selection. In a hen house, an exquisite appearance heater. The main characteristics are usually reliability and low cost. These requirements are met by Ecoline, Loriot, Almak heaters. They are reliable, last 25 years and are the most popular among our poultry buyers. You can use more expensive ceiling heaters designed for heating living quarters, but you will not get much benefit.

For a good insulated chicken coop, heaters should be selected at the rate of 100 W per 1 square meter. In addition to the heater, you should purchase a thermostat. The heater itself does not have any adjustments; the temperature is set on a thermostat, which should be placed on the wall at a height of half a meter to one and a half meters in a place inaccessible to birds. The thermostat should be set to the required temperature (for a chicken coop, usually about 10 degrees) and it will automatically maintain it periodically by turning the heater on and off. You will also need electrical wires to install the heater. Lead a wire from the heater to the thermostat, and from the thermostat either to the input machine or to the nearest outlet.
Any thermostat can be used that is used for heaters (that is, with a built-in temperature sensor).

Such a system can work all winter in automatic mode without supervision. In case of short-term shutdown and subsequent switching on, the heater will continue to work in automatic mode.

Alternative option. Panels. In addition to high-temperature heaters, lower-temperature STEP panels can be used to heat chicken coops. They have several advantages:
... STEP panels have a large area, therefore, the heating of the chicken coop will be more uniform.
... The surface temperature of STEP panels is about 70 degrees. If you accidentally touch it, you will not get burned.
... STEP heaters are only 2 cm thick and are mounted close to the ceiling. They can also be mounted on the wall, but the ceiling arrangement is more effective.
... STEP panels have a high degree of dust and moisture protection (IP66), which allows direct ingress of water and work in very dusty rooms.

Alternative option. Infrared film. It is also a good option for heating a chicken coop with an infrared film. The main disadvantage of infrared film is that it must be installed at the stage of building a chicken coop and it is highly desirable to then cover it with a decorative coating, for example, hardboard. The best location of the film is on the ceiling, but it can be on the floor, or you can combine both the floor and the ceiling. The total power of the infrared film is selected in the same way as the power of the heaters - at least 1 kW per 10 square meters.
Among the advantages of the film, one can note the invisibility of this type of heating and the greater uniformity of heating, since almost the entire ceiling will have to be covered with the film. Of the minuses - a much more laborious installation and the particular complexity of its installation in an already built and used chicken coop.

Consumption. The consumption of the heating system for the chicken coop will primarily depend on the quality of the thermal insulation (warming) of the chicken coop, secondly, on the outside air temperature and only thirdly on the power of the heater. The reason is that a properly sized heater does not run continuously. The thermostat, depending on the air temperature in the hen house, periodically turns on and off the heater and, thus, maintains the set temperature. If the outside air temperature drops, then the heater is on for more time and off for less time, and, conversely, when the outside temperature rises, the heater is on for less time and off more.
On average, it can be assumed that consumption in central Russia in winter will be 20-30% of the rated power consumption of a properly selected heater.
For example, if you have a high-quality chicken coop with an area of ​​6 square meters, then a 600 W heater will suit you. Average consumption in winter will be about 150 W * h / hour or 3600 W * h / day or about 100 kW * h per month. If the cost of electricity is 5 rubles per 1 kW, we get 500 rubles per month. In warmer spring and autumn days the amount will decrease. You also need to understand that the better you insulate your chicken coop, the less you will pay for electricity.

Infrared lamps. Infrared lamps are lamps that are screwed into a standard lamp base and glow red or warm white during operation. Such lamps are quite popular in the poultry industry, but we do not recommend using them for winter heating of a chicken coop.
Firstly, such lamps have a rather small resource. By their design, these are ordinary incandescent lamps with only increased power. If such a lamp suddenly burns out, then the chickens may freeze. And secondly, infrared lamps are heated to high temperatures (above 500 degrees) and hay or feathers that get on them can catch fire.
Such lamps are more suitable for heating chicks, they give off a very saturated heat, which can become a replacement for the heat of the hen for the chicks.

Other heaters. We do not recommend using other heaters to heat chicken coops. In particular, we do not recommend medium and short-wave infrared (these are those that glow red during operation), convective infrared, convectors, oil, fan heaters, heat guns, most of the baseboards, as well as all kinds of ceramic, quartz and others.
Most of these heaters are less effective or do not provide any advantages compared to long-wave ceiling heaters or infrared film at a comparable price, and some can simply be dangerous in a chicken coop and cause injury to birds or fire.

Review of the heater in the chicken coop

Dog kennel and kennel heaters

There are 3 options for placing dogs and animals of the same size in rooms requiring heating. It can be:
... Street booths
... Outdoor aviaries
... Aviaries in the premises that require additional heating.

Street booths. The most optimal heating option for a doghouse is heating with an infrared film. In this case, the film is installed on the ceiling or on the floor. For more heating, it can be installed in general on all surfaces: on the floor, ceiling and walls. Preliminarily, foil-clad insulation is fixed on these surfaces, an infrared film is applied to it, and on top there is a decorative coating (hardboard, plywood, lining). A big plus of this option for heating the booth is that the dog cannot accidentally damage it with claws or teeth. You can turn on such heating either manually before severe frosts, or install a thermostat. It makes sense to use a thermostat with a remote temperature sensor (usually these are used for underfloor heating). The thermostat is installed outside the booth in a sealed box or in a place inaccessible to precipitation, and the sensor is led inside the booth and protected from accidental damage by the dog. In this case, the system becomes automated and autonomous. You just have to choose the temperature that will be most comfortable for your dog.
You can also use STEP panels, fixing them on the wall or ceiling, or STEP heating mat, laying it on the floor. The main thing is to take care of the mechanical protection of the supply wires. As in the case of infrared film, it is possible, and in some cases desirable, to install a thermostat.
It is impossible to say exactly what power is needed to heat the booth, since, in fact, the booth is not a completely insulated room. It has an open entrance that is directly connected to the surrounding air. Therefore, in the case of heating with foil or panels, you can install as many as fit in geometric dimensions. In the bitter frost, the heat in the booth still cannot be achieved. And the thermostat will save you from overheating during the warming period.
Conventional (non-panel) ceiling heaters for heating a booth will not work due to the high temperature of their surface. The dog can get burned. Also, other types of heaters are not particularly applicable.

Outdoor aviaries. Outdoor enclosures cannot be fully heated. With the help of waterproof panels or warm STEP rugs, you can only create local zones to which the dog can lean and better survive cold periods.
Outdoor heaters can be used for a short time. ... We recommend using Heliosa models without a remote control. They are capable of operating at high subzero temperatures and have a high degree of moisture resistance. These heaters should be installed at such a height that the dog cannot reach it. The heat from it will be like the heat of the sun or a fire. It is not recommended to use such heaters as permanent heating, since they are not designed for autonomous operation and have a lamp life of about 5000 hours.

Indoor aviaries. Indoor aviaries are characterized by the fact that they have a positive temperature and have a common roof. However, sometimes the temperature is still insufficient and additional heating is required. For this, STEP panels and rugs can be suitable, as in the case of outdoor enclosures, or, by analogy with a chicken coop, a ceiling infrared heater can be installed. You should use a heater with a capacity of about 1 kW and install it at a height of 2-2.5 meters. Such a heater, of course, will not raise the temperature in the entire room, but it will create a local heating effect. The heat from it will not be as saturated as from an outdoor heater, but it will be comfortable and not excessive.

Horse and cattle warmers

In Russia, as a rule, horses are kept in stalls with a common corridor and a roof, and cows and other cattle in covered barns. Such rooms are similar in structure to the indoor dog enclosure option described above. The only difference is that horses and cows have tremendous strength and can damage any heater that is within reach, get damaged and possibly cause a fire.
Therefore, the heater should be placed outside the reach of animals and ceiling heaters are the best suited for this.
For local heating, heaters with a capacity of 2 kW should be used, installed at a height of 3-4 meters directly above the animal. But also ceiling heaters can be used to heat an entire stable or barn. The total power of the heaters is selected based on the area and thermal insulation of the room. On average, this is usually about 1 kW per 10 square meters. In this case, heaters are placed evenly over the entire ceiling area. For ceilings above 4 meters, 3 or 4 kW heaters can be used.

Another problem faced by horse owners is drying the animals after washing. In a stable environment, after washing, a horse can get a cold. To prevent this, a blanket is put on the horse, but it will be much better if an additional warming procedure is carried out using outdoor short-wave infrared heaters.
For this, street heaters are installed in the stall or in some place of the stable in such a way as to warm the horse from the sides. Usually 2-4 heaters with a capacity of 2 kW are used.

Such heating dries out the scalp and enhances blood circulation in the skin, which significantly reduces the likelihood of a cold and, like the effect of an infrared sauna, has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole.

When raising chickens under a brood hen, additional heating is not required. The hen herself takes care of covering and heating the chicks, teaches them how to find food, and this greatly facilitates the work of the poultry farmer.

For hatching chicks, a fenced, heated area must be prepared in advance.

Some amateur poultry farmers grow them in boxes covered with cloth, without a heating source. In the box, the chickens do not have enough air, they are stunted, often die.

You can use an insulated box or a box with walls 40-60 cm high, which is placed on a mat. Thick (preferably filter) paper is placed on the bottom of the box. On 1 m2 of floor in a box, you can place 30-35 day old chicks.

It is best to use 100-150 W electric lamps or a reflector with a metal mesh (cells 5x5 mm) for heating young animals. One such reflector can heat from 5 to 100 chicks.

To prevent the chickens from scattering from the heat source, in the first 5-6 days it is surrounded by a 40 cm high plywood or cardboard screen; there should be a space of up to 1.5 m around the heating pad.

In the first 5 days, the temperature is maintained at 30-29 ° C, from the 6th to the 10th day it is reduced to 26 ° C, and then every week by 3 ° C until it reaches 16-18 ° WITH. The temperature is measured with a thermometer, which is attached at a height of 0.5 m from the floor.

Both hypothermia and excess heat are harmful to chickens. At normal temperature they are mobile, eat food well, and are evenly distributed over the entire floor and cage area.

If the chickens are cold, they cuddle up to the heaters and huddle, climbing on top of each other, react poorly to feed, and quickly weaken. Weak chicks are crushed when crowded.

At high temperature chickens lie down away from heaters, open their beak, drink often, lie with fluffed feathers, eat poorly.

To heat the chickens, they also use a heating pad made of tin in the form of a pipe with a diameter of 15-18 cm and a length equal to 3/4 of the length of the box (50-80 cm). At the ends, wooden plugs with cartridges are inserted into the pipe, into which electric bulbs with a power of 25-40 W are screwed.

a - light bulb; b - cylinder

On top of the box, you can attach 1-2 electric reflectors, into which, instead of heating elements, 40-60 W bulbs are screwed in.

Good results are obtained with a simple heating device that is easy to make at home.

a - light bulb; used tin cap; в - cartridge; d - protective mesh; d - frame on legs

A protective mesh is placed on the frame made of angular iron and the top is covered with a cap made of tin or galvanized iron, in which light bulbs with a power of 25-40 W are mounted. The dimensions of the heater are chosen so that the entire bird can fit freely under it. The number and power of bulbs regulate the temperature inside the box and under the heater.

To heat chickens, you can make a box with a length of 70, a width of 50, and a height of 40 cm. The side walls and top are made of plywood, the bottom is made of roofing iron. The entrance at the end is closed with a flap. There is a hole with a diameter of 25 cm on the lid. It is closed with a wooden circle, in the middle of which a cartridge from an electric light bulb is inserted. From the iron sheet, you need to make two reflectors 15 cm high, lengthwise across the width of the box. Mount two 75 W bulb holders in each reflector.

The box should be placed on supports 20 cm high. Place one reflector with bulbs under the box, and hang the other in the corner of the veranda at a distance of 20 cm from the floor.

After covering the iron bottom in the box with burlap, close the flap, and put the chickens inside. Turn on the lower reflector and the lamp at the top - "chandelier". As you fill the feeder and pour water into the drinkers, the chicks will be warm. Then spread the burlap on the floor under another reflector and turn on the lamps there. Turn off all lamps in the box and under it, open the shutter. The kids, seeing the light, run out of the box and rush to the feeders. Warm the bottom with the lower reflector again before the chicks go to bed.

And here is another, very simple way of keeping chickens.

In the plywood box, cut a hole for the entrance and place the door. Cover the bottom of the box with burlap. Wrap the cord from a portable light bulb on the bar and attach it to the box from above, lower the light bulb and plug it into an outlet. If the chickens are huddled together, they are cold, so lower the light bulb lower.

Later, take the box out into the yard, and pull the cord through the window into the house. Fence a brood area around the box. The chickens will freeze or it will rain, they will immediately hide in the house under the light bulb. In the evening they do not need to be driven under the roof, they themselves run into it. It remains only to turn on the light bulb, close the door and move the house to the shed or house.

The growth and development of pullets, their subsequent productivity is greatly influenced by the light regime.

In specialized farms, pullets are raised in windowless rooms with constantly decreasing daylight hours. A gradual (by 30 minutes per week) reduction in daylight hours (from 5:30 pm in the first week of rearing to 8 hours by 20 weeks of life) delays the puberty of pullets, but contributes to their good growth, completion of molt before oviposition and obtaining more large eggs with a strong shell.

V household plots such a light regime can only be maintained for chickens accepted for rearing in June, when the daylight hours are 15-16 hours, and further decreases from day to day, which corresponds to the recommended regime. If you grow young growth of April or May conclusions, then you need to release it for walking not at sunrise, but later, for example, at 9-10 o'clock, and before that keep in a poultry house with windows curtained with dark paper or ordinary curtains. Long daylight hours cause premature egg-laying, which further leads to a rapid decline in productivity.