Brinsea EcoGlow 50 Brooder

[PatS]

Just set up the Brinsea EcoGlow brooder and have our little baby Cornish X babies under it. How will I know if it is warm enough under there for them? The accompanying literature says a thermometer won't read correctly because it uses radiant heating.

I stuck my hand under and it feels warm, but not over 90. The little electrical box that it plugs into is pretty darn warm!

The chicks are quietly napping under it now.

So how do I know it will be warm enough for them? If they were uncomfortable would they be making a ruckus? I still have a heat lamp but am hoping this will be better!

 

[mikecnorthwest]

I've never used one but am seriously thinking about it for the next crop of chicks. With my heat lamp I always just go by whether they look comfortable or not. If they're sleeping under it I would think it's fine.

 

[gabbyscritters]

We have two 50's in our large brooder box in our house. Just got them a month ago. LOVE it & so do the chicks!
We have bantams, adjusted legs on one end so it is just about touching them when they lay down and adjust the legs on opposite end a little higher. They can settle in where they are confortable. As the chicks grow adjust the height of the legs. I also noticed that the center of the brooder is the hotest and the chicks will spread out in a circular pattern to avoid the center heat if they get too hot, just like with a heat lamp. Hubby built a new brooder box with clear acrylic panels so we can view the chicks easier. Thats how I know their habbits under the ecoglow.

The biggest indicator of happy chicks is noise level, little happy chick noises is good. We have been amazed at how little upset chick squaking has occured.

We have a set up led Christmas lights hanging in the hall area where the chicks are, works as a great night light. The chicks settle down and go to bed at night just like they would with mom. In the past we always would be up so much at night, I think this is much more natural. The ecoglow brooder makes the chicks feel secure, they run under it when they are little just like mom. We have had zero pasy butts, 65 bantams under 2 ecoglows.

We have 3 staggered hatches right now, the little guys spend a fair amount of time under heater, slowly spending more time out in brooder. I am amazed at how much time the older chicks spend out from the heater, many of the older chicks only go under to sleep.

The only headache you will have is when the chicks discover the fun of playing on top of the ecoglow, of course that means poop! They love to hang out on top.

Trust your birds, they will let you knbow if they are happy. Loose the heat lamp.

We call the ecoglow "momma heater" . I'm watching our chicks play in the brooder right now, the ecoglow is always the center of activitites, lots of buzzing around under & on top, lots of pooping too.

 

[PatS]

Thanks. It is good to know it has been working well for you.

I guess I'm just gonna be on pins and needles until they survive the night. This is our first batch of Cornish X, and the first time with the EcoGlow. They are so quiet compared to past batches we've brooded inside. Then again the light is low as it's night time. (No 250 W bulb blasting away.) Half have been sacked out under the platform for a couple or three hours now, and half came out a while ago to eat and drink and have gone back under it to sleep. One is sleeping in the middle of the brooder, I guess if he gets cold he'll figure out what to do.

Then again, these Cornish seem "warmer" than other chicks. They are like little toasters! I wouldn't be surprised if they could survive on each others' body heat in a normally heated room. They are only a couple days old and they are already bigger than the other breeds at the feed store.

 

[PatS]

Everyone slept through the night and they are now happily pigging out at the feed trough.

 

[Swimmy]

we LOVE our Brinsea ecoglow (only 4 chicks at this time, so ecoglow20 in use). I feel it's the most hassle free, natural brooding "lamp". and, yes, I agree, the plug is warm. I have mine pluged into a GFCI outlet.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

We have two 50's in our large brooder box in our house. Just got them a month ago. LOVE it & so do the chicks!
We have bantams, adjusted legs on one end so it is just about touching them when they lay down and adjust the legs on opposite end a little higher. They can settle in where they are confortable. As the chicks grow adjust the height of the legs. I also noticed that the center of the brooder is the hotest and the chicks will spread out in a circular pattern to avoid the center heat if they get too hot, just like with a heat lamp. Hubby built a new brooder box with clear acrylic panels so we can view the chicks easier. Thats how I know their habbits under the ecoglow.

The biggest indicator of happy chicks is noise level, little happy chick noises is good. We have been amazed at how little upset chick squaking has occured.

We have a set up led Christmas lights hanging in the hall area where the chicks are, works as a great night light. The chicks settle down and go to bed at night just like they would with mom. In the past we always would be up so much at night, I think this is much more natural. The ecoglow brooder makes the chicks feel secure, they run under it when they are little just like mom. We have had zero pasy butts, 65 bantams under 2 ecoglows.

We have 3 staggered hatches right now, the little guys spend a fair amount of time under heater, slowly spending more time out in brooder. I am amazed at how much time the older chicks spend out from the heater, many of the older chicks only go under to sleep.

The only headache you will have is when the chicks discover the fun of playing on top of the ecoglow, of course that means poop! They love to hang out on top.

Trust your birds, they will let you knbow if they are happy. Loose the heat lamp.

We call the ecoglow "momma heater" . I'm watching our chicks play in the brooder right now, the ecoglow is always the center of activitites, lots of buzzing around under & on top, lots of pooping too.

What is the best way to clean the EcoGlow? Is a scrubby sponge ok? Should I put a hand towel on top of it?