[akwebb]

Hi, where can I buy a heat lamp? Probably a daft question, but can I use an ordinary desk lamp, the ones with the movable heads to place over my brooder, and fit with an infa-red bulb?? 

[GrannieAnnie]

If you are only going to brood a few chicks, this is my smallest brooder lamp, made up from a little metal lampshade from Wilko fitted to a light fitting and a fireglow bulb.

Just make sure the chicks have enough room to move away from the heat if it gets too warm, or you can raise and lower the lamp.  also make sure the box you use isn't draughty at all.  I've got a couple of these plastic storage boxes and a converted kitchen wall cupboard for my small broods.

I don't think you will ge an infra red bulb to fit a desk lamp. But you can get an ordinary red bulb which done right can give off enough heat for the chicks

[Chickway]

I have used a homebase value desk lamp that has a stretchy neck so I can direct it closer if I want and can direct it where I want and move further away as the chicks grow.  It cost £4.99.  I use a red heat glo bulb in it(which cost £5.99)  You have to check that the lamp has a big enough screw in hole for the bulb as most I looked at only had really small screw holes for the new smaller energy saving bulbs.

[akwebb]

Thanks for the advice

[Casey76]

A proper brooding heat lamp will have an S27 screw, so a esk lamp will probably not have the correct fitting.

You can buy the proper hoods for them from Ascott for about £13.

Otherwise you could find ceramic dull emitters in the terranium part of a pet shop

[hillfooter]

I find the Phillips IR heat lamps are better than the normal Ruby types which are fairly fragile and don't stand a knock when on.  Make sure you have at least one spare in case it goes.

BC (bayonet) or E27 (screw fittings are available see

http://www.lamps-on-line.com/cgi-bin/gl_products.pl?INFRARED|INFRAREDREFLECTOR

On a related subject does anyone know where I can get a screw lamp fitting without the hood?

Thanks
HF

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Terry, We bought some ceramic light fittings, I think they are screw fitting rather than bayonet from Boston Electricals which are on one of the industrial estates.  Have you got anywhere like that around you?  

Do you have City Electrics there?  They have units all over the country I think.

This sort!

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/results.jsp?N=411&Ntk=gensearch_003&Ntt=ceramic+light+fitting&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&suggestions=false&ref=globalsearch&_requestid=1007090&isGoback=false&displaytext=&isRedirect=false

Sorry, you did say screw fitting!!