EcoGlow reviews??

[gryeyes]

I have just - this evening - started using this product for 3 newly hatched chicks. I think I need to buy at least one more of them for future use in the ginormous brooder out in the shed. (The next time I have a SLEW of chicks to brood at the same time.)

I "installed" the EcoGlow in a dresser drawer currently not in a dresser, outfitted with adhesive shelf liner covered by the "gripper" style of shelf liner (non-adhesive). Food and water are at the end of the drawer opposite the EcoGlow.

I took the 3 chicks from the incubator and put them into the dish of feed, the dipped their beaks in the water, and after a minute or so, pushed them gently under the EcoGlow.

They are happily cheeping away beneath the warming plate and then trotting out to investigate their drawer. Then back under the EcoGlow. And so on and so forth. This is a wonderful thing!!!

I am going to be able to finish the dresser brooder tomorrow and place the chick drawer in it, instead of just having the drawer sit on the floor with a grate over the top of it.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

As much as I like my ceramic heat emitters, I think I would love this. I like the fact that my chicks are on a day night cycle very early in their life and don't scream when you turn off a light in the room. They are MUCH quieter.

No more brooder keg parties all night.

 

[Gypsy07]

Quote:
No, it only warms the area directly underneath it, and maybe an inch or so in front and behind. If you put your hand under it, you hardly feel the heat unless you actually touch the hotplate. It's not supposed to warm up the brooder at all - the way it works is the exact opposite to that. The rest of the brooder is supposed to be cold in comparison. Brinsea says it's not suitable to use in temperatures of less than 10C (50F) so that means anything above 50F in the rest of the brooder is fine. The chicks run about the brooder without heat and then when they feel cold they run back underneath it to get a heat, just like they would with a mother hen.

At the moment I am using an Ecoglow with four 3-day-old chicks. And they don't actually spend all that much time under it. Out of interest I just stuck a thermometer in their brooder and it's measuring a little under 75F. The chicks are all running around in there quite happily.

I also have another Ecoglow that's currently supposed to be keeping three 2-week-old chicks warm. But they haven't actually been under it all day! They do sleep under it at night when the temperature gets down to about 55F but apart from that they mostly just like to roost up on the plastic sides of it. Oh, and I also have five 4-week-olds who are off heat altogether and perfectly happy with those temperatures. According to the standard chick-rearing guidelines of starting at 95 and lowering it by 5 degrees after each week, they should be in a brooder that's 75-80F right now.

I suspect a lot of the health problems people have with their chicks are due to them being kept constantly at a much higher temperature than they ever would be under a hen. They're MUCH hardier than most people think. Anyway, I think the Ecoglows are brilliant and I don't think I'll be going back to heat lamps any time soon. And yes, the chicks are a LOT quieter at night without a lamp keeping them awake.

 

[wsdareme]

Quote:
You are SO right! My chicks are spending a lot more time out from under the EcoGlow than I thought they would. Obviously, they don't NEED to be 95 degrees 24/7. And it's so nice to turn off the light and they go to sleep. When I turn on the light in the morning, they all run out and greet me and start their day.

This is so much better than my previous experiences with the dreaded heat lamps...

 

[wsdareme]

There seems to be a lot of concern about growing chicks not fitting. Just think of it in these terms -- it's like an electric hen. Believe me, they find a way to fit, just like in the nest with their momma. And this covers a lot more room than one hen could, so you can have more chicks than she might naturally hatch.

 

[featherz]

My chicks spent a lot of time under the ecoglow the first 5 days or so, only venturing out to eat and drink. After that, they spent more time out than in and didn't seem at all bothered by the 50-60F temps in my house. they'd run around, duck under and then run around some more. They are now almost 4 weeks old and are doing great.

 

[AZBootsie]

Quote:
No, it only warms the area directly underneath it, and maybe an inch or so in front and behind. If you put your hand under it, you hardly feel the heat unless you actually touch the hotplate. It's not supposed to warm up the brooder at all - the way it works is the exact opposite to that. The rest of the brooder is supposed to be cold in comparison. Brinsea says it's not suitable to use in temperatures of less than 10C (50F) so that means anything above 50F in the rest of the brooder is fine. The chicks run about the brooder without heat and then when they feel cold they run back underneath it to get a heat, just like they would with a mother hen.

At the moment I am using an Ecoglow with four 3-day-old chicks. And they don't actually spend all that much time under it. Out of interest I just stuck a thermometer in their brooder and it's measuring a little under 75F. The chicks are all running around in there quite happily.

I also have another Ecoglow that's currently supposed to be keeping three 2-week-old chicks warm. But they haven't actually been under it all day! They do sleep under it at night when the temperature gets down to about 55F but apart from that they mostly just like to roost up on the plastic sides of it. Oh, and I also have five 4-week-olds who are off heat altogether and perfectly happy with those temperatures. According to the standard chick-rearing guidelines of starting at 95 and lowering it by 5 degrees after each week, they should be in a brooder that's 75-80F right now.

I suspect a lot of the health problems people have with their chicks are due to them being kept constantly at a much higher temperature than they ever would be under a hen. They're MUCH hardier than most people think. Anyway, I think the Ecoglows are brilliant and I don't think I'll be going back to heat lamps any time soon. And yes, the chicks are a LOT quieter at night without a lamp keeping them awake.

I think you are right!! Looks like I made a good decision. Now to find out when it will be shipped!!

 

[wsdareme]

ECOGLOW UPDATE: I have now used my EcoGlow for a week. I have to say, I am extremely happy with it!

The chicks stayed under it quite a bit at first, but spent a lot more time out in the brooder than I expected. The room temp was 65-70 degrees and they were quite comfortable with that.

Tonight we raised the EcoGlow to the middle slot to give our week-olds a little more headroom. I have to admit it was cute watching them nestle down in the shavings under the heater just like they would be under their momma. But they now spend very little awake time under the heater. They'll go under and sleep, but the rest of the time they're jumping on top of it and using it as a launch pad for flying lessons.

I also like the fact that they are learning about daylight and nighttime. When it's "lights out", they might peep loudly for a minute, and then it's silence! With a heat lamp on 24/7, my other hatches didn't really have night and day. They had red and red. These little girls have a red fluorescent bulb in an elbow lamp that I put over them during the day. At night, it's lights out (I do leave the "night light" setting on on my range hood, but that's more for me in case I need to make a trip to the kitchen).

I would definitely recommend this for others, and I may even buy another for myself!

 

[gryeyes]

<*ahem*> I am waiting for my second one as I type...

How's that for a review?

 

[AZBootsie]

Fantastic!! Thank you!!
I wish mine would hurry up and get here.