The Old Folks Home

[ozexpat]

"A small Ohio brooder (a poor man's eco-glo) would be perfect."

Oz, forgive my ignorance, what is an Ohio brooder?

its essentially a box with 2 low wattage lights mounted on the sides.

 

[ronott1]

its essentially a box with 2 low wattage lights mounted on the sides.

It is nice, but not a contact heater. Eco glows use 17 watts of electricity. The contact aspect makes the chicks push up onto it--That helps them develop and often correct leg muscles\problems. It also lets them rest at night without light.

It is close to a broody mom.

 

[ozexpat]

It is nice, but not a contact heater. Eco glows use 17 watts of electricity. The contact aspect makes the chicks push up onto it--That helps them develop and often correct leg muscles\problems. It also lets them rest at night without light.

It is close to a broody mom.

I was thinking of it like an eco in so far as a warm spot in the corner.

The Ohio brooder design is very economical to build and run. A 40 watt red bulb is all most will need in a 2 ft x 2 ft size that will provide warmth for at least 50 chicks. A dimmer switch installed on it allows you to fine tune the power consumption based on needs.

The Ecoglow sounds like a great product. I have only seen pictures of it and the chicks are well below it so I did not realize the made contact with it.

 

[ronott1]

I was thinking of it like an eco in so far as a warm spot in the corner.

The Ohio brooder design is very economical to build and run. A 40 watt red bulb is all most will need in a 2 ft x 2 ft size that will provide warmth for at least 50 chicks. A dimmer switch installed on it allows you to fine tune the power consumption based on needs.

The Ecoglow sounds like a great product. I have only seen pictures of it and the chicks are well below it so I did not realize the made contact with it.

A lot of first time users do not under stand how the eco glow works. It will not heat up the brooder and thermometors do not register a warm spot at 95degrees. The chicks have to push up to the black heated surface to get warm and then they go away from it. Chicks brooded with one are much healthier--It cracks me up on the Heritage threads when the talk about how much healthier the chicks are with a Broody. They can get very similar results with and eco glow.

I do not post about that on that thread though. Many are anti tech there.

 

[dsqard]

I'm sure you did get all that hay in weeks ago--- winter is almost setting in for you! Unless you have had some snow already?


Glad the pictures were saved.

Arielle, yes we have already had snow a couple of times. Nothing that stuck down in the valleys but the tops of the mountains are snow capped already. I am sure it is not very deep yet but it is not melting away either. We got our first snow last month the night before DH and I went down to Kanab. We actually beat SCG this year on the snow. I am hoping I have enough hay to get through to next April when the first cutting usually is (depending on how cold and wet spring is). I have been thinking of trying to get another ton before you can't find any.

 

[Wisher1000]

Quote:

A lot of first time users do not under stand how the eco glow works. It will not heat up the brooder and thermometors do not register a warm spot at 95degrees. The chicks have to push up to the black heated surface to get warm and then they go away from it. Chicks brooded with one are much healthier--It cracks me up on the Heritage threads when the talk about how much healthier the chicks are with a Broody. They can get very similar results with and eco glow.

I do not post about that on that thread though. Many are anti tech there.

Well, now I really want to get one! Not "anti tech" here, no sir!

 

[ronott1]

Well, now I really want to get one! Not "anti tech" here, no sir!

I know! I would love to use Broodies all the time, but even though the Dorking went Broody three times this year and two of the Cream Legbar x Crele Penedesencas have gone Broody, they do not match when I am hatching eggs.

Also, the Dorking is a bad Momma...

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I know! I would love to use Broodies all the time, but even though the Dorking went Broody three times this year and two of the Cream Legbar x Crele Penedesencas have gone Broody, they do not match when I am hatching eggs.

Also, the Dorking is a bad Momma...

I have a couple hens that are really star broodies, and a few that are also stellar mommas. My banty (Banty, I'm original) is perhaps the most reliable broody, ever. She lays only a few eggs, then goes broody for weeks. I usually let her hatch a few times a year. She'll raise them to about 4 weeks, then lay a few eggs, then repeat the cycle. This fall she also molted, and is already back on a nest, growling.

The only problem I have with broodies is I don't get the close up chick contact that I crave. I enjoy letting them take the reins.

And Banty's only problem with this whole arrangement is that her chicks always look weird, have flipper limbs, and grow exponentially larger than her, quickly. I love it when she still tries to sit on them to keep them warm at night and they're twice her size.

 

[ronott1]

I have a couple hens that are really star broodies, and a few that are also stellar mommas. My banty (Banty, I'm original) is perhaps the most reliable broody, ever. She lays only a few eggs, then goes broody for weeks. I usually let her hatch a few times a year. She'll raise them to about 4 weeks, then lay a few eggs, then repeat the cycle. This fall she also molted, and is already back on a nest, growling.

The only problem I have with broodies is I don't get the close up chick contact that I crave. I enjoy letting them take the reins.

And Banty's only problem with this whole arrangement is that her chicks always look weird, have flipper limbs, and grow exponentially larger than her, quickly. I love it when she still tries to sit on them to keep them warm at night and they're twice her size.

I sold a good broody and mom! She is a French Black Copper Marans. She hatched out 8 of 10 eggs and is still taking care of them a 5 weeks old. She is a big girl too.

A co worker has them and I get to consult with them.

 

[Highcotton]

I have a couple hens that are really star broodies, and a few that are also stellar mommas. My banty (Banty, I'm original) is perhaps the most reliable broody, ever. She lays only a few eggs, then goes broody for weeks. I usually let her hatch a few times a year. She'll raise them to about 4 weeks, then lay a few eggs, then repeat the cycle. This fall she also molted, and is already back on a nest, growling. The only problem I have with broodies is I don't get the close up chick contact that I crave. I enjoy letting them take the reins. And Banty's only problem with this whole arrangement is that her chicks always look weird, have flipper limbs, and grow exponentially larger than her, quickly. I love it when she still tries to sit on them to keep them warm at night and they're twice her size.

Speaking of being original, we called them banties. We also called broody hens settin' hens and when they were broody they were settin'. I had never heard them called broody until I saw it on this site.