Chicken pro seems nervous about me using the ecoglow brooder

[4kids*2dogs]

I love love love my Ecoglow! I too was nervous about temps! Not any more. My chicks are almost one week old and thriving.

It is so much more natural to the chicks than a light hanging over them 24/7 I am telling you that it is much more like a mama hen with the shelter for security. I keep a regular 60 watt standing lamp next to the brooder for most of the day. I probably don't need it though.

Lights out at 8:00. They scurry under the Ecoglow. If one is peeping loudly it usually means they can't find their way to the Ecoglow. I scoot her under and not a sound the rest of the night.

The lamps seem like they would be such a pain to manage. There is nothing to the Ecoglow..just plug it in!

 

[PrettyCoy]

Quote:
Thanks for sharing! It's great to hear how people lived (and still do) without having to depend on electricity.

 

[off-grid hen]

Quote:
That's a great way to create heat, thanks for sharing that.

I think I will bring this into the office one day so the other chicken people including my pro can see how this brooder heater works.

 

[off-grid hen]

Quote:
Yay another off gridder! What kind of system do you have to produce electricity? Or do you run non-electric? I've done it both ways, but glad to have power now. Maybe when my son gets a little older well spend a summer without the wattage...

 

[jenkassai]

I loooove my Ecoglow!!! How do you know when to raise it to the next level? My first chicks were 4 days old when I got it. I just got four more day olds and they are all in the same brooder. I want to make sure they can all fit under it (week olds and day olds). I worry that if I don't raise it, the week olds won't fit, but if I DO raise it, the day olds won't get enough heat from it! Advice (aside from getting a 2nd one

)?? At this point I figure if they are cool enough, the week olds will still get under it...

Btw, LOVE not having to have a light on all night especially since the brooder is in our bedroom! Thank goodness for a tolerant husband who can sleep through just about anything

 

[gryeyes]

I cheated and one of my EcoGlow units had one side up high and the other down low, so it's at an angle/slant. Bigger chicks hang out in the "tall" side and the babies scurry under the "short" side.

 

[jenkassai]

Quote:
What a GREAT idea!!! I'm going to try that, thanks

 

[andalusn]

Quote:
I switched from "Big Red" to the EcoGlo and I won't go back. From what I have read and in watching my different chicks grow through using the EcoGlow from day 1 to moving into a grow out pen ....they adjust. The different levels built into the unit are really by species.. lowest level is chicken and I believe the top level is for Turkey. Can't remember off the top of my head what level two was for. The peeps crawl under it and are supposed to touch the heat source for warmth. That's why it is so safe to use with bedding etc. I know folks with really little breeds such as quail leave one side off & let it tilt so to speak so they can get under an even lower part for warmth.

As my chicks have grown they just sort of fanned out with just their tushy under the unit and their heads sticking out. They do make two sizes now but I currently am using the original size. I have hatched Large Cochin, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte & LF Salmon Favorelles so I have had 3 sep batches raised in my brooders with my two units. So, I have adjusted my brooders since day one and left them to do as they desired well past month old.

If you contact Brinsea directly they are very good about answering questions via email or on their FACEBOOK page.

 

[Denninmi]

I'm also very pleased with my Ecoglow. I've used it with everything from tiny little button quail chicks to ducks, and its great. For the quail, I just found a rubbermade type bin that has a slightly raised bottom in the center --it fits great, the feet of the Ecoglow go down in the "ditch" around the edge of the bin. Then, I just build up the rest the deep areas with shaving, then put an old towel over that.

Yes, the only bad part of an Ecoglow is the fact you can't see what's going on under there. Using clear bins for brooders helps some, but a small mirror helps even more - you can see what's happening without raising up the Ecoglow.

 

[HHandbasket]

We were given an EcoGlow as a gift from a fellow chickeneer/hatcher, and I will never go back to using heat lamps. I will from this point forward always use either an EcoGlow or a broody hen.