Brood in coop?

Date sort Score sort
Mbell150

Mbell150

Hatching
6 Years
Joined
Mar 21, 2013
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
7
Getting my 15 chicks next week just trying to decide if i should brood them in there new coop or in the house. Its a 8x8 building with 4x8 being the coop. Pics on my profile. Was planning on one 250w heat lamp hanging from ceiling. Just want to be shure they will be warm enough at night. Still been chilly here in CT winter just wont go away.
 
You can indeed. You may have to make a box within the coop and make a cave or covering over 2/3 of it to help hold in heat. We hold the chicks from the incubator, just long enough for everyone to hatch and dry off and then out they go to the brooder in the unheated outbuilding.

We have always brooded outside. The smells and dust are not allowed in the house, as per my wife's orders. LOL
 
The wife is mostly the reason I am planning on brooding outside lol. I do have a loft area above the fenced section of the coop that brings the coop area ceiling height to about 6'6". Currently running a heat lamp test as I speak to see if I can hold 95 with night time temps. The more I read the more comfortable I am getting with the idea.
 


Have a couple of lights. This is good backup and failsafe.



Make shift a box cave of some kind. Use your imagination. There are lots of makeshift brooder examples here on BYC of brooders for ice cold garages and barns. I used a small grow out pen and used cardboard to close in the sides and tossed a packing blanket or two over the top.
Here's an inside view.



We brooded chicks all through this past winter and many, many nights, there was sub-zero nights. They were just fine. First, the 95 thing isn't necessary. 85-90 is just fine and they only need that for the first week. Hang the light(s) low, at first. Support it super well for fire safety.

You're not going to face temperature below 25F. Not this time of year. All these super duper steps are only necessary for the first 3 to 4 weeks. After that? It's May, the ambient temps moderate and your chicks' need for hyper warmth is greatly diminished.
 
My hen has been brooding her three chicks in the 4x6 coop since Jan. 23.
It has been a long, cold winter here in western Pennsylvania with frigid windchills.
The coop just has a 60 watt light on 24/7. If you are worried about fire
and/or don't have a hen, , look up the sweeter heater online.
http://sweeterheater.com/ A great product. Can be side or overhead mounted.
chicks: http://sweeterheater.com/page6.asp
Best,
Karen
 
Last edited:
Ran a test with the heat lamp last night... i hit the 95 degree mark with out a problem. I think i will just go ahead and keep them outside from the start. Thanks for all the help.
 

Similar threads

A
brooding chicks in coop with 50 degree temps at night?
Replies
5
Views
681
rural mouse
rural mouse
N
Transitioning Chicks to Outdoor Coop
Replies
2
Views
1K
rosemarythyme
rosemarythyme
R
Tips for switching to brooder plate for next brood— on a tight budget!
2
Replies
15
Views
2K
casportpony
casportpony
F
Bringing four week old chicks home
Replies
5
Views
492
rosemarythyme
rosemarythyme
C
Chicks arriving soon….broody hen and where to do it? Questions
Replies
6
Views
625
BigBlueHen53
BigBlueHen53

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom