Is a brooder really needed??

[TheOgdensmenagerie]

So this ain't my first rodeo. But due to a dog accident with my flock I only have one rooster and one hen left.
I have always used a brooder for chicks due to having grown chickens in my coop.
Well this year the coop is empty and I live in California where the weather is mild as heck during winter. We never get to freezing temps.
Soo if my hen and roo are locked out of the coop and the chicks have the Mama heat pad cave to use in the coop can I just use the whole coop to brood??
They will have a yard to run during the warm days and the inside of course to warm up in.
Thoughts??

 

[sourland]

I would suggest keeping them confined to the area of the heat pad until they are a couple of weeks old as newly hatched tend to chill quickly. Otherwise that should work fine.

 

[blackdog043]

Like @sourland said, make a smaller area for them to be be for the first 2 weeks. A large dog crate or dog X Pen work good for this. Also if you do it this way and your rooster and hen are able to see them, integration should go smoother.

Here's a good thread on integrating at 4 weeks, if you haven't seen it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/integrating-chicks-into-flock-at-4-weeks-old.1159151/

My coop brooder. Dog X Pen and crate joined together