Brinsea EcoGlo - What height for age chick? 1, 2 or 3

[andalusn]

EcoGlo arrived today and I just finished setting it up and moving the week old chicks to the larger brooder tote. The instructions stated chicks prefer the lowest setting for height. Since they were a week old I went with that. Now looking at them all snuggling next to the outside edge and not going under it I am wondering if I should have set it at the second level which would have looked more open. One did manage to go under it and I am betting it figures out where the heat really is and the rest will follow but for those who have had one of these in practical use what settings have you found to be the best for the age / chicks. How long would you say you used it too? When chicks fully feathered out you removed it? I also have it on shavings... the book said you may have to "build" a nest for quail which made me think its safe for nest like material under the plate.

 

[gryeyes]

I use the lowest for newly hatched chicks for about 3 weeks. I put the second EcoGlow at the middle setting for my 4 week old chicks. (Actually, I just cleaned the first one at lowest level and put it in the brooder for the newly hatched chicks and set up the second for the second batch at the middle setting, because they were getting really tall and ducking A LOT to get under it.) They seem to be fine at the middle setting and I probably will keep it there for at least two more weeks.

 

[Gypsy07]

I leave mine on the lowest setting till I take them off heat altogether, but it always sits on about 2" of wood shavings so they can burrow in under it if they really want to. I think as they get older they don't need as much heat, so they lie at the front of it to just get a little bit of warmth. Mine all did that from when they were about 3 weeks old. On colder nights, they would burrow and shove their way underneath it again. Trust me, if they're genuinely cold, they'll manage to squeeze in under it!

I think Brinsea's own info about it says the lowest setting is for chicks and the higher settings are for other bigger breeds of birds like geese etc, and that with chicks you probably won't have to raise it up to the next level at all. So I just left mine at the lowest level. Three batches of chicks later, they've all been fine.

Edited to add: Having just looked at your original post again about raising it higher so it looks more open - It's not supposed to look open. It's supposed to mimic a mother hen who squashes all the chicks in under her feathers against her body. It works by contact heat - the chicks get most heat off it when they're actually touching the hotplate. I didn't really get this till my third batch of chicks that I kept in a plastic box with clear sides . I could see in under the Ecoglow and I often saw my smallest ones waking up and standing up and stretching to push their backs up against the hotplate for some extra heat.

 

[andalusn]

It took them about 20 mins to figure out they could go under the plate and once that happend I did not hear a "peep" from anybody

They really seemed to settle and were very content. This morning they came out and stretched like they had a great nights sleep and went to find breakfast. It's on the lower setting and I see what your saying about diving under. I am thinking I may need one more of these for the next hatch. So far I am very happy with it and loving the fact there is no light bulb on 24/7.

 

[Gypsy07]

Yeah, they're just great aren't they. I bought one to try, and then a second one only a fortnight later. I'm totally hooked on them now, won't go back to using heat lamps at all! Plus there is ZERO fire risk from them even if you havce paper and wood shavings smooshed up against the hotplate. They're excellent! Glad your chicks are liking it.