Ecoglow

[TiaNicole]

So when I first got my ducklings I got a heat lamp for them! I finally bought a ecoglow after everything I’ve read about them! Well it just came in the mail yesterday and once plugged in I’m not sure how I feel about it. I currently have 4 week old ducklings so they’re fairly big, so I have the ecoglow fairly high. When I place my hand under it I don’t really feel much heat? Is that normal? I just don’t see how it can keep them warm!

 

[Tre3hugger]

The plarte is designed to heat by direct contact. The ducklings put their backs very close to, or against the plate and feel warmed. Your plate on the bottom should feel warm/hot when you touch it with your hand, and unbearable to your skin after a few seconds. I have an ecoglow, and was also skeptical at first. Now I have my chicks outdoors with it at 2 weeks old. Last night was 40 degrees, and this morning they were just fine. I also used another brand heat plate(rent a coop) and it worked like a charm for my guinea keets. As long as the height is correct, and your birds can fit under it snugly, I wouldn't worry.

 

[Eric_W]

I got one too and plugged it in to warm it up, checked the temperature under it a few hours later and it was only 80 degrees and that was only about an inch from the plate so I was afraid it wouldn't be warm enough and went with my heat lamp. I have them dropped to 85 degrees now since halfway through week 2 and I think I'm going to try and use the Ecoglow next week. Heat lamps really make me nervous but I just didn't see how the Ecoglow was warm enough and didn't want to take the chance.

 

[Tre3hugger]

It doesn't work to measure the temp of area under the plate. The chicks touch it to warm up. I had my chicks under one from 1 days old when they hatched and they were fine at ambient room temps. At 2 weeks the ecoglow is enough to keep them warm down to 40* in my experience.

 

[Eric_W]

It doesn't work to meaasure the temp of area under the plate. The chicks touch it to warm up.

Well now I know. I just wasn't sure and didn't want to chance it.

 

[Tre3hugger]

No prob, that's why we're here!

Well now I know. I just wasn't sure and didn't want to chance it.

 

[Topbless]

Can you add the pictures here let's see?

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I agree with @Tre3hugger. This is the second year I've used my brooder plate (same technology, different name) and it is immensely better and much safer than the wretched red heat light. It takes approximately 1/2 to 1 hour to warm up initially but it works very well. The chicks feather out quicker and become acquainted with normal day / night cycle from the start. You just have to adjust the height for the chicks. If they are crouching down near the edge of it then you need to raise it up a bit. The level of noise from your chicks will let you know if you have it adjusted correctly. Here's a shot of mine at 3 days old.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Keet brooder set up. 3 days old. Different brand heat plate, same general design.

Chciks outsided at 2 weeks in their rabbit hutch/brooder. Hangin on top of the ecoglow.

 

[CoriM]

I used the heat plate from day one and it was just fine. It does take an hour to heat up. By four weeks old you don't have much to worry about if you have the heat plate and they're in your house. I was not aware of keeping it low enough for ducklings too touch it though - in fact I thought I had read about some babies being burned, so I never had mine that low.