can I put my chicks in their coop?

[Pecknscratch]

We'll be bringing our chicks home in a couple of weeks and as I was reading others posts I wondered...would it be OK if I put them in their coop?
The floor is about 4' by 5' and can be closed off from outside. We'll not be having any more frost nights by then.
How long will they need the heat lamp?

 

[f8thnjc]

You have to make sure that with a heat lamp, it stays around 95 degrees for the first week. Then slowly lower the temp. I am not sure you can do that if it is staying just above freezing. I would test it out during one of the coldest times before you just put them out there. You don't want to loose them.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I'm in northern Michigan and I brood, either in the barn, or in the garage. No problems. Have a couple of heat lamps, that way if one fails you have a back up. You can also run two, if need be, to get the heat up. WARNING: make sure the chicks can escape that heat. They will determine their own heat needs by moving into or out of the direct heat circle. Raise the lamp or lower the wattage at week 4. They'll hate the excessive heat by then. At week 6, they are feathered out and it will be May. Not much need for heat. People have been brooding in barns for centuries.

 

[AlabamaChickenLady]

Now that is a wonderful idea Fred's Hens!!! Loved the pics too!

I don't have a barn, so I keep mine in the house for the first few weeks. Then they get moved to a larger brooder inside the coop until they are about the same size as the rest of the flock. By then, everyone is pretty used to seeing each other and blending goes well. I do use heat lamps in the coop-brooder when its colder than they need.