Brooder VS. Coop

[HennyPennies2007]

Last year I got chicks and kept them in a brooder. This year I have a whole coop (8X8) space for them and I have a question. I know a lot of people keep chicks in their barns.. can I keep them on the floor of their coop with ample heat etc...? Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

As long as you don't have a draft, yes. The best thing is to put up some kind of shield (like cardboard) to keep them around the heat and their food and water for about a week or so to keep them from wandering too far. The cardboard also will stop drafts.

editted for spelling

 

[gritsar]

I kept my chicks in a large brooder within a shed as their coop wasn't finished yet. The first week we had both their brooder lights and an electric oil filled heater going. After that all that we had to use was their brooder lights.
IMO, you can keep them in any draft free, predator proof building that you can keep to the temperature required for their age.

 

[HennyPennies2007]

Thanks Ridge......

They are coming May 6th this year. Last year I got them in March... I know it will be really warm in there and pretty draft free... but will look into making a cardboard deal for them....

 

[HennyPennies2007]

Are mice bad...? I have traps set and have been catching some... hope to have numbers down by then... I recently read to not put feed in the coops so I only feed the big guys in the run... but I know they can get into the coops...even though I buried a foot of tin all around they still get in... they are so teeny.... dirtbags....

 

[gritsar]

I wanted to add this pic of my brooder and draft guard. We made the frame for the draft guard out of PVC pipe - something we have lots of - and wrapped it in heavy duty plastic - something else we have lots of.

 

[HennyPennies2007]

OMG... gritsar... that is awesome! I love homemade stuff! That is soooo cool....

 

[gritsar]

Thanks. Including the cost of the kiddie pool I think it costs us maybe $18 to make (we had to buy the PVC Ts and Ls). Once they got too big for the pool we removed it, put a large piece of cardboard under the PVC frame and got more use out of it that way.