Chicken pro seems nervous about me using the ecoglow brooder

[off-grid hen]

Fred's Hens :

Quote:
The key is to choose hardy breeds. We routinely had -25 to -30 here. -11 this morning!!! No insulation, no heat. Unnecessary.

No one had, NO ONE had heat or electricity for centuries. Our American breeds, for the most part, were developed in New England, Up State New York and other cold, cold places.

So which breeds you got?

Also- the coop in your avatar: is it a woods style coop design?​

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have no experience wth that brooder, so I have no comments on that.

If your chicks get cold, they will not only huddle for warmth they will give a distress peeping. It is a loud, steady, constant, heart-rending peep that you will recognize as them saying "Something is dreadfully wrong here!!! Take care of it and do it now!!!" It is pretty easy to recognize.

They will huddle anyway when sleeping, whether cold or not, and probably under the heat. Them huddling when sleeping is not a true sigh of being cold. But that distres peeping is.

 

[off-grid hen]

Quote:
Very good info for this chicken newbie. I'm a mommy, I will keep my ears peeled for the dstress call. Thanks.

FORGOT TO MENTION: My chicks aren't here yet, but I'm covering my bases to get the nursery ready.

I'll go edit my original post.

 

[gryeyes]

I have 3 EcoGlow brooders in use. I used the first one with newly-hatched chicks which have grown up to about 3 weeks old now. I started with the thing on the lowest "rung" of the side holders and when more chicks hatched a week ago, I cleaned the thing and gave it to the newest batch, and set up the second unit on the middle height and gave it to the then-2 weeks olds. The third is being used with newly hatched call ducklings.

The babies spent a lot of time under it the first couple of days, peeking out now and then, and coming out to eat and drink then going back under it. Now they run all over the place and hop onto it to look around (just observed 10 of 12 chicks in a mob on top of it) and go back under it at night when the bathroom .... errrr, Nursery.... gets colder. The ducklings seem to like to get on top of it a LOT, but do go underneath it to warm up.

Yes, because I couldn't see under it, I did tip it up to do a head count for the first couple of days. Now the chicks are mostly out from under it (which surprised me) because they only go under to warm up and then come back out.

So much more different than behavior under a heat lamp! I love these things.

 

[ChickenCrazed]

So far I love mine...I have 15 2 week old silkie chicks that are using it...I was nervous at first but these chicks are doing great!...I too would tilt it aside and peek under to check on everyone...Anytime I felt a chick under it it was nice and toasty...

I just moved mine up to the second rung...My brooder temp, not under the ecoglow is running in the 70's just like our house...The chicks are active, eating, drinking and running around...They will dart under to warm up when they need it and they are sleeping under it at night...Some of them will even hop up on the top of it...

I bought it because I was always worried about the heat bulb safety...Also hoped it would save on energy and cost me less to run...I think you are going to love it!

 

[off-grid hen]

Ooh lookit pic #3, with the chick looking out into the big bad world, haha!

Ok thanks everybody! I have no qualms about this thing at all.

I can't wait for the babies, I have the nursery all set up!

 

[featherz]

I am planning to use two on my next hatch, as I'll have over 20 chicks (I hope) - both will fit in the brooder.. I am thinking maybe put them in a V shape so no chick will be trapped if they need to get out? or side by side? Hmm.. Brinsea is coming out with a larger one next month (or so I hear) so I may sell my two smaller ones if that looks like a better option for the future.

I love mine. The chicks really only stayed under it for a few days then as said above, they'd stay out of it more than in. I'd only see them all missing under there when it was dark. Plus they get used to day/night cycles early so you don't have all that crying like you did when they were raised under a 24x7 light and now had to see scary DARK.

I raised it up when they got bigger and was able to get them to fully feathered (they didn't even use it for more than a perch then).

 

[lorrireynolds]

I spent a couple of weeks in Ethiopia last fall. Everyone has chickens, but one woman raises them and sells the pullets for layers. She has no electricity... Here is her brooder:

She built a 4" box approx 3x5. layered in the following items in this order:
straw
blanket
straw
clippings and produce scraps
pooped on bedding straw
blanket
bedding straw

Has been raising eggs on natural decomposition heat for 20 years. Sale of layers and male cooking birds and tiny yard garden, (space is very well used) she has supported her family of 7 kids since her husband was murderd 10 years ago.

She was so inspiring!

 

[Hopeful Peacock]

I don't have too much to add since I just got my first peeps TODAY! I am off grid too and bought the eco glow for the same reason you did. However, I can tell you that it's not above 65 room temp where I have them now, and the chicks are acting just fine. They duck under the brooder to warm up and then come out to eat, explore, etc. They are not huddling.

When I first put them in the brooder, they were eating, etc. and I walked away for about 15 min. When I returned, they were huddled in a pile and shivering. I gently shoved them each under the eco-glow and they immediately relaxed. Now they know.

Good luck!

 

[4kids*2dogs]

I love love love my Ecoglow! I too was nervous about temps! Not any more.

It is so much more natural to the chicks than a light hanging over them 25/7. I am telling you that it is much more like a mama hen with the shelter for security. I keep a regular 60 watt stand in 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 he Ecoglow..just plug it in!