Brooder inside coop

[rowechicks]

My husband and I are raising our first chickens and are still in the planning stage of our coop. Since we are hoping to add/rotate our flock, we are thinking about installing a brooder underneath one of the poop boards. Is 2hx2wx4L a good area for up to 6 chicks? Are there certain ways of heating the area better than others? We have young kids so the less the birds are in the house, the better.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

For brooding in the coop I suggest using either a brooder plate or the Mama Heat Pad (a "DIY" version of a brooder plate if you will) -- you can read up on using the MHP, including in the coop alongside older birds, here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update and here https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/862691/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate In addition to providing the most natural brooding experience to the chicks it is also the safest (no heat lamp) and least disruptive (no all night lighting) to the rest of the flock. This approach (brooding in the coop) also lends itself very well to easy and early integration of the new chicks and older flock - discussed in the thread above and also other threads on brooding in the coop such as this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...rooder-and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

In coop brooding rocks! My girls are 4 weeks old, fully feathered and barely using heat plate. My coop and brooder pics in link in signature....

Gary