Brooder within Woods Coop?

[Medda]

Hi all,
It’s been a while since I posted but it is that time of year for new little ones. I just got 9 new little cheepers. They are 2.5 weeks old now and in the brooder in the garage with their Mama Heating Pad and doing great. I’ve been researching the best way to intregrate them into my existing flock and would ideally like to move them to the big coop as soon as they are off supplemental heat.

So here is where I need some advice/suggestions. I originally wanted to section off a corner of the front shed of the Woods with temp./removable walls. However, with my limited building skills I also thought about basically creating a removable box/brooder that could be placed under the roosts at the back of coop.

I thought about 4x8 top with a framework underneath, covered in chicken wire. My roosts are 42” high so the brooder could be around 32” or 36” high. The top would serve as a poop board for now. The front would have hinged doors for access to food water. I would like to put a couple of “escape hatches” for the little ones to begin exploring after a couple/few weeks of introduction to the adults.

Any thoughts as to which would be better - the removable box under roosts or sectioning off a front corner? Any concerns for one over the other?

Thanks, Medda

The new littles - 2 Black Copper Marans, 2 Cream Legbar, 2 Austra Whites, and 3 Olive Eggers.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You mean something like this? I'll give couple of different looks, one in use and one not.

This is actually my permanent 3' x 6' brooder, chicks go in here straight from the incubator or post office. My roosts are about five feet high. I raised the brooder high enough that I could slip plastic bins underneath to catch the poop that falls through the 1/2" hardware cloth floor. It makes clean-up underneath really easy. I did not put it all the way across as I wanted to be able to get to all parts if I needed to catch a chick. I still had to use a net.

Since it has a wire floor it makes a great broody buster when it doesn't have chicks in it. I also use it to isolate a chicken when I need to. It has been quite handy as a permanent addition. One downside though is that I've had a few hens want to lay eggs underneath. Not often but a few times. That's one reason I block the bottom off with plastic when it has chicks in it, but that also stops drafts from underneath them.

When I integrated, usually at five weeks, I'd leave the brooder door open until they were all out and them I'd close it. That was never an issue for me. Your situation is different though so the safe haven/panic room idea could help.

I see nothing wrong with sectioning off a portion of the coop either. This is not a case where one way is right and another is wrong. Which is going to be more convenient for you? The chicks really won't care.