1 week old chicks in enclosed coop with heat lamp?

[achildcoulddothis]

Hello all, and thanks in advance for any insight you may have ---

I have 18 one-week old chicks with no mama hen. They've been in the house, but are starting to smell. I would like to put them outside in my enclosed coop WITH a heat lamp. I'm in the Hudson Valley and the night time temp drops to high 50s.

Will they be okay in the coop with the heat lamp? It's not drafty at all. It's about 5 feet x 3.5 feet x 3 feet tall.

 

[Poultry keeper12]

Hello all, and thanks in advance for any insight you may have ---

I have 18 one-week old chicks with no mama hen. They've been in the house, but are starting to smell. I would like to put them outside in my enclosed coop WITH a heat lamp. I'm in the Hudson Valley and the night time temp drops to high 50s.

Will they be okay in the coop with the heat lamp? It's not drafty at all. It's about 5 feet x 3.5 feet x 3 feet tall.

Yes. They will be prefectly fine, just keep an eye on them and make sure there are no holes or gaps! Best wishes

 

[lazy gardener]

You need to ensure that during the hottest part of the hottest day that they do not overheat. Personally, I would be MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE using a MHP in the coop. It will be far less likely to overheat the chicks, and will be far less likely to create an overheated coop. I brood my chicks in an outdoor hoop coop with 4 x 8 loft where they are started. By the time they are 3 weeks old they are moving freely between the loft and the lower level 8 x 12 run. Ambient temps range from high 20's to mid 70's by the time they wean themselves from MHP at 4 - 5 weeks.

 

[achildcoulddothis]

Thank you both for the input! I'm going to set them up in there now and closely monitor the temperature. I think the coop is big enough (and insulated enough) that they won't overheat during the day.

 

[lazy gardener]

Use the absolutely smallest wattage bulb you can get by with. You might also check into using a huddle box or wool hen as good alternatives to a heat lamp. With that many chicks, they will not need as much heat as they would if there were 6 or less.