Heat Lamp alternatives

[Sallysec]

So I am expecting my babies in a few week and this past weekend we set up a brooder in the house. I was very concerned about the heat lamp, but I use lamps for starting my seedlings and just thought It would be similar. I got a red bulb from the store after reading and plugged it in. The setup was basically a fifty gallon fish tank for a brooder for the first two weeks. I liked the idea of it being easy to see and clean etc etc. So I have the tank resting on a table which had a plastic tablecloth over it. Plugged in the lamp to make sure my thermometer was working and to get the lamp to a good height etc for when the chicks come. In like twenty minutes (just time to load my dishwasher in the next room) It melted the tablecloth under the tank. This completely freaked me out and I immediately unplugged it. Before this I was a little concerned with the heat lamp and the idea of a fire because we have had a fire in my home two years ago, and I still have nightmares about it. So I am really considering buying a Brinsea Ecoglow20. I feel silly making such a purchase for my bakers dozen chicks that are coming, as I don't expect to get anymore or need the ecoglow for more than one batch of babies. (Then again I originally ordered eight chicks, and wanted only six lol) SO chicken math may make the ecoglow worth it. Does anyone have any other recommendations. Obviously I do not have a mature hen that could be a broody for me....so that is out.

Anyone have any experience with the Ecoglow they want to share? I have read some about the company and some reviews of the product, but the more the merrier...

I feel like the cost is justifiable because of the peace of mind, but I really hate to explain that to my husband.

 

[Mahonri]

Getting an Ecoglow was one of the best things I ever did.... I just wish I'd have bought the large one 50 chicks rather than the smaller one.

 

[featherz]

X 100. LOVE my ecoglows, and I've had three of them. Sold one of my 20's and now I have a 50 and a 20. The 50 is really big, so harder to fit in small spaces, but it is more easily adjustable. But definitely get one!

 

[juststruttin]

I think they go on sale in the winter also. I missed the sale last year, but hope to buy one this year.

 

[Sallysec]

They are on sale right now $6.00 off?..or is there a better sale?

 

[KnobbyOaks]

I'm struggling with the heat lamp at this point too. I just brought home my eight chicks from the hatchery and it seems really hot in the 50-gal Sterilite tub. 5 thermometers set inside and none of them are the same. They are sound asleep but the way they look, they look dead. I raised the light to the highest I can get it, then placed a broiler pan on top of tub between the light and the chicks so they could move out of the direct light but they are asleep right in the middle. I remember reading that if it was too hot, they would move to the coolest place but they haven't. If they make it through this week, then next week supposed to decrease the temperature by 5 degrees, but how to do that when I can't get it any higher.

Maybe I should check the floor under the tub, it might have melted too.

I can't justify buying an ecoglow besides it's too late for me. Hope it works for you because this worrying is killing me.

 

[featherz]

Chicks really don't need as much heat as we think they do. I put my chicks outside on day 2, with an ecoglow, and it's dropped as low as 45 here - and they are running around, not even under the heat.

 

[Fur & Feathers]

we had the smaller one,it was brand new but never worked at all and because am living in a residential home and reliant on others to help it was never replaced.
had originaly thought about using it as a bridge and hideaway for the marans but they had a terrible aversion to the colour yellow at the time and woud pull off dramatic meltdowns everytime they caught a glimpse of it.
however the cochins liked using it as a bridge and something to huddle under together; when they were babies five of them managed to fit under with the last one looking silly stood on the outside of it.

they do have a major advantage in some ways-heat lamps can heat up an entire room-its awful if have got the brooder in the room are usualy in; especialy when the lamp is raised up.
was actualy having a lot of serious seizures due to the excess heat from a raised heat lamp of mine as the brooder is always in bedroom.
aparently they are cheaper to run in electricity or so brinsea says on the box.

the bulb that were sold sounds like a typical industry standard; very high wattage-avoid those for use in house unless are interested in making a sauna out of it to .

here is an idea which staff did for mine that woud personaly recommend over the eco bench thingy [never know what to call it].
drill a bolt into the ceiling beam above where the brooder will be and attach a long light weight but strong chain to clip onto a heat lamp.
avoid using a industry/farm standard heatlamp which covers a lot more area these ones boil the place and need raising to high.
also,make sure to buy a pack of spare bulbs because they go very quick as theyre left on near permenently in comparison to normal use-even the industry standard ones last the same have personaly found.
we get multi packs of good value normal bulbs from a hardware store,as these ones give heat and we always have ones if any stop working,never not have a back up heat source-will go mental with worry about the chicks whilst waiting for shops to open; have personaly only ever experienced them going off in the night time.

even if are going for the eco bench, are best to have a backup plan in place,we were stupid and only found out it didnt work till the morning the chicks were being born,so we had to rush miles away to the nearest farm supplies store.

hope have managed to understand that and congratulations on joining motherhood of the chicken world,everyone says they are only doing one flock or only one more,it doesnt work like that will soon find out.

 

[Sallysec]

Brinsea is having a giveaway on their Facebook page. If you say the chicken chicksent you and the ecoglow is great for raising baby chicks. I think it is for twenty four hours .

 

[Sallysec]

Knobby oaks, sorry to hear, best of luck and iI hope your babies make it.