Just got my first chicks EVER...on Monday! 7 hens and a roo...I think! I decided to Brood them in the coop. My coop is only 4'X8' so it's not large. I placed a board to divide the coop in half and hung my heat lamp, layed down some puppy piddle pads and paper towels over the top of pine shavings. After the first couple of days I removed the piddle pads and the chicks are doing wonderfully. I am so glad that I am doing it this way, they have plenty of room to move from under the lamp if they want to. Our temps are still in the mid 20's at night and they are doing fine. The coop is insulated and gets some sunshine in the early afternoon to help keep it nice and toasty in there. This afternoon around 3 PM it was 72 degrees in there. They are happy little critters! The best thing is that I don't have to listen to or smell them in the house.
So for any of you out there who think you have to have them in the house...Poppy Cock!! of course, to each his own....I'm just saying it can be done in the coop if you want to. Everything I know about raising chicks (and that ain't much) I learned from BYC......Thanks to all of you!
