Is Brinsea Brooder enough heat or do I need something more?

[cedarcovefarm]

Hi! I'm starting my adventure in raising chicks later this week, when my chicks hatch (hopefully) and also have a few being shipped (just in case). I have purchased the Brinsea EcoGlow 50 but I'm a little nervous. I keep reading that especially the first few days the brooder area needs to be 98 degrees. Well, the Brinsea just warms the little chicks under the plate. So do I need to have something else to keep the rest of the brooder warm? I'm so afraid I'm going to mess this up for my little chicks.

 

[song of joy]

This should be fine. The area under the heat panel should be around 90 degrees the first week, but in other areas of the brooder it will be cooler. That's fine, as the chicks can move to whichever area (temperature) they are more comfortable. You may need to play with the height of the panel to get the right temperature, so I'd set it up and have it running a full 1 to 2 days before you plan on putting the chicks in.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Chicks do not need to be 98F first few days. I'll accept that temp for duration of drying down from hatch (hour or so) but you'd keep them in the incubator for that. Once they've got fluff to keep in their own body heat they are good to go with an area in brooder to warm up in and that's 90F first week. The Ecoglow is a great device for this, and accomodates lowering of temp each week by raising it. If they weren't so expensive I'd have one.

It's an artificial mother hen that they go under when wanting to warm up or sleep. Otherwise they are exposed to ambient air which in brooding boxes is usually our house temperature. So much warmer than nature.