chick heating

[Portia]

Ugh. I remember the days of rearing my first chicks.  They moved from the laundry room to the basement right quick, noisy messy little buggers.  I used a red bulb, be sure you get a brooder lamp vs a regular, the ceramic dissipates the heat and helps prevent burning down the house.
These days I let my hens raise any chicks.  Sure the mortality rate is a bit higher when a free range chicken raises them up, but the hawks and critters in the woods have to eat too.   Besides, I don't have to do much except help the new chicks figure out how to get back into the coop for the first week, then its all the hen and they do a much better job than I ever could.

Good luck, chickens are a blast.