Eco Glow Brooder

[mtngirl35]

Anybody ever the Eco Glow Brooder heater? I want to raise some more chicks but I really hate heat lamps. I read about this on The Chicken Chick blog and I'm considering it but I want to hear from anybody who has had first hand experience with it.

 

[mistifier99]

I haven't personally but a really good friend has. I was going to get one but couldn't afford it at the time. But they LOVE theirs. I was so convinced of getting one until I went to the petshop, and they charged extra (what for I don't know) and I honestly couldn't afford it at the time.

 

[Blooie]

I'm using a heating pad. Yep, a plain old heating pad. I got the idea from a video I saw on here under DIY- Show Us Your Inventions, and then a good friend also gave her recommendation. If you think about how chicks are raised by mom, they are out exploring everywhere, and when they get chilled they run back under her for a few minutes to warm up. They also sleep under her at night. That's the premise behind the Eco Glow Brooder. I'll never brood chicks in a brooder box inside with a heat lamp again, ever - um, well except for Scout.

Right now I have a 2 week old chick in the house who got severely frostbitten feet. I needed to keep him in a smaller box to reach his food and water, and the heat lamp was way to intense. So I bought a Sunbeam heating pad, one that allows me to turn off the auto-shut off feature. I wrapped it in a towel and formed a tunnel with it. Scout loves it. He can go under it to warm up, then be out of it when he wants to eat and drink.

Out from under Mama Heating Pad to grab a nibble.

Then back inside his cave. I cannot believe how well this is working! It's soft, cozy, dark, and warm, but he can get in and out at will. It would work for multiple chicks as well....I'll see if I can find a link to the video. I couldn't see paying such a high price for an EcoGlow when I can do the same thing with a $29.00 heating pad from Walmart. And the best part is when we turn off the lights at night, he goes to sleep! He's not in and out all night because his natural day/night cycle is functioning. I'm off to find that link. It's being used in a greenhouse but can easily be adapted for a brooder box.

EDITED TO ADD LINK TO VIDEO:

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I use the Eco glow and love it in fact I got two because I'm so impressed with them. They are much cheaper to run than a heat lamp and there is less risk of fire with them. The chicks love getting underneath them and having a warm. Also because there is no light they go to sleep on a night. They also like to jump on and off it too. It has three heights that it can be adjusted too for differing chick sizes. The only down side to it is that you can't see the chicks when they are under it.

 

[mtngirl35]

I'm using a heating pad. Yep, a plain old heating pad. I got the idea from a video I saw on here under DIY- Show Us Your Inventions, and then a good friend also gave her recommendation. If you think about how chicks are raised by mom, they are out exploring everywhere, and when they get chilled they run back under her for a few minutes to warm up. They also sleep under her at night. That's the premise behind the Eco Glow Brooder. I'll never brood chicks in a brooder box inside with a heat lamp again, ever - um, well except for Scout.

Right now I have a 2 week old chick in the house who got severely frostbitten feet. I needed to keep him in a smaller box to reach his food and water, and the heat lamp was way to intense. So I bought a Sunbeam heating pad, one that allows me to turn off the auto-shut off feature. I wrapped it in a towel and formed a tunnel with it. Scout loves it. He can go under it to warm up, then be out of it when he wants to eat an
Then back inside his cave. I cannot believe how well this is working! It's soft, cozy, dark, and warm, but he can get in and out at will. It would work for multiple chicks as well... I couldn't see paying such a high price for an EcoGlow when I can do the same thing with a $29.00 heating pad from Walmart.

Duh!!!

I never even thought of that and my uncle used to raise chicks with a heating pad when I was a kid. I can't believe I forgot that! What do you leave the heat setting on?

 

[Blooie]

Duh!!!

I never even thought of that and my uncle used to raise chicks with a heating pad when I was a kid. I can't believe I forgot that! What do you leave the heat setting on?

Well, bear in mind that I haven't actually done this outside yet - I'm using it here in the house for Little Scout....but I have it set on 6, which I think is the high setting. It forms a tunnel, so he's not actually in direct contact with the pad....he's under it and there are two layers of towel. But it' been on steady for several days, and there's been no overheating - no issues with it at all.

Edited to add: In the photo I posted it looks like he's laying directly on the pad...he's not. The pad looks like this \____/, but turned upside down. The first towel is wrapped completely around the pad. The second one is formed into a loose tube within the tunnel. The entire assembly is help up by a piece of wire that acts sort of like a tent support so it looks like this - /\. Um, clear as mud?


Here is Scout inside his tunnel. He's sitting on a paper towel on the floor of his cave because his feet are no longer bandaged and he has some open areas where his blisters popped. I wanted to be able to just pull out and toss soiled flooring so he's not walking in it. You can see the wire on the inside top of the tunnel.


This kinda shows the tent assembly to keep the entire thing from collapsing on top of him and to keep the entrance open. The wire runs through the tunnel at the back, around, and then back out at the front. I just formed two hooks and interlock them so I can easily unhook it if I need to.

 

[mtngirl35]

Thanks everybody for the info and new ideas! I will be raising 6 Buff Orps in the early spring. Then I will be raising Cornish X every 2 months throughout the spring and summer. I will have to put my brooder in a spare bedroom. My outdoor building does not have electricity. I have used the lamp before but I was so nervous about it causing a fire. I have a son and an indoor cat, not to mention I would hate to burn my house down. I've been searching high and low for an alternative to the lamp. Now I have two. Can't wait for spring!