In large-scale, intensive modern poultry farming, every detail impacts the final economic benefits. For chick rearing, one seemingly simple yet crucial element is lighting. A high-efficiency brooder lamp is not just a “little sun” providing warmth—it’s a guide that directs chicks toward healthy growth and uniform development.
Why Is Lighting So Critical? It’s More Than Just “Illumination”
Many new farmers mistakenly believe brooder lamps are only for heat retention. In reality, scientific lighting management has a comprehensive impact on chicks:
Promotes Feeding & Drinking: Bright light stimulates chicks’ activity levels, helping them quickly locate feed and water sources—critical for newly hatched chicks.
Regulates Body Temperature: Especially infrared heating lamps, which provide a continuous, stable external heat source for featherless chicks, mimicking a hen’s care.
Influences Endocrinology & Development: Light duration and intensity directly regulate chicks’ sexual maturity timing. Scientific light control prevents early maturation, laying a solid foundation for high and stable egg production later.
Reduces Stress & Vices: A uniform, comfortable lighting environment significantly lowers chicks’ stress responses, preventing vices like vent pecking and feather pecking caused by overcrowding or dimness.
Four-Stage Lighting Management for Chicks’ Entire Growth Cycle
To maximize the brooder lamp’s effectiveness, dynamic adjustments must align with chicks’ physiological development. We divide this into four key stages:
Stage 1: Initial Brooding (Days 1-7) – “High Light for Starter Feeding”
Goal: Help chicks adapt to the environment, familiarize themselves with feeders and water lines, and establish a strong foundation.
Lighting Plan:
Duration: Use nearly 24-hour continuous lighting (or 23 hours of light + 1 hour of darkness) to give chicks ample time to learn and feed.
Intensity: High intensity (approximately 30-40 lux, equivalent to 3-4 watts per square meter). The poultry house should be as bright as daylight, ensuring chicks in every corner can see clearly.
Lamp Utilization Tips: Lower the lamp height appropriately and ensure uniform heat distribution to create a warm, bright “nursery center.”
Stage 2: Growth & Development (Weeks 2-3) – “Gradually Reduce Intensity”
Goal: While ensuring normal growth, gradually transition chicks to adapt to darkness for rest and digestion, while reducing energy consumption.
Lighting Plan:
Duration: Gradually reduce lighting time to 18-20 hours per day.
Intensity: Significantly reduce intensity to 10-15 lux. The light should be soft enough for chicks to move normally—excessively bright light easily causes excitement and fighting.
Lamp Utilization Tips: Dimmable LED lamps excel here, allowing seamless adjustment with a simple twist. For ordinary bulbs, use lower wattage or raise the hanging height.
Stage 3: Bone Consolidation (Week 4 to End of Rearing) – “Controlled Light for Robustness”
Goal: Control growth rate, promote full development of bones and internal organs, and reserve energy for the laying period.
Lighting Plan:
Duration: Maintain or slowly reduce lighting time (e.g., keep 8-12 hours of constant light) based on breed requirements.
Intensity: Low intensity (5-10 lux). A simple test: Farmers should barely see chicks’ activities when entering the house.
Lamp Utilization Tips: Prioritize “uniformity”—check for dark corners to prevent huddling. High-efficiency reflectors play a key role here, ensuring every inch of light is effectively used.
Stage 4: Pre-Laying Preparation (Before First Egg) – “Gradual Increase for Maturation”
Goal: Gently stimulate reproductive system development through gradual lighting increases, ensuring the flock reaches timely, uniform sexual maturity.
Lighting Plan:
Duration & Intensity: Implement a dedicated “light increase plan”—add 15-30 minutes of light per week until reaching the 16 hours required for the laying period. Increase intensity to 15-20 lux accordingly.
Note: Strictly follow breed guidelines—avoid sudden, significant light increases to prevent issues like prolapse.
How to Choose a Truly “High-Efficiency” Brooder Lamp?
Amidst a wide range of products on the market, remember these four key points:
Type Selection:
LED Poultry-Specific Lamp: Top Choice! Saves over 70% energy, has a long lifespan, and features dimmable functionality—easily implementing all the above lighting plans, making it a tool for precise management.
Infrared Heating Lamp: Advantages include fast heating, but it has a fixed spectrum, high energy consumption, non-adjustable brightness, and safety risks (fragile). Often used as an auxiliary heat source or in specific scenarios.
IP Rating: Poultry houses are humid and dusty—choose lamps with IP65 or higher to ensure safety and durability.
Light Quality: Avoid flicker and glare. High-quality light provides a stable visual environment for chicks, reducing stress.
Beam Angle & Reflector: Excellent reflective design directs light precisely to target areas, avoiding energy waste on ceilings and walls.