Can I use my tiny coop as brooder?

[sunnie7]

Thoughts on using my tiny coop as a brooder? We recently moved it into the chicken run a couple months ago. I’ve always done a brooder in my garage with a heat lamp but after about a week could I move the chicks into this with one of the heat plates or heating pads? Which ones are recommended? I can easily get an extension cord to it. I’m in southern IN so not too harsh winter but it would be end of February when I’d be wanting to move them out.

 

[Mvan42]

As long as they have heat yes it will work. I have a brooderin my coop I wait about two weeks then put the chick in it. They won't understand the concept of going back in you will have to teach them.

 

[MissE]

I don't see why not so long as they have a draft free, warm area for when they need it. That would prevent you from having to adjust the heat throught the day. If they get warm, they can go outside. If they get cold, the can go in. Might even help them feather out faster. Just make sure its predators can't get in.

 

[sunnie7]

My Great Pyrneese guards the outside perimeter. She’s still young though so I have to make sure my chickens stay IN! She does a good job keeping predators away. I will add a hardware cloth apron just in case. I’ve had a Bantam hen raise 5 LF chicks in this coop but they had her and it was summer time.
What heat source would best for inside this coop?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thoughts on using my tiny coop as a brooder? We recently moved it into the chicken run a couple months ago. I’ve always done a brooder in my garage with a heat lamp but after about a week could I move the chicks into this with one of the heat plates or heating pads? Which ones are recommended? I can easily get an extension cord to it. I’m in southern IN so not too harsh winter but it would be end of February when I’d be wanting to move them out.

View attachment 2491687

I think that would make a perfect brooder!
I would use a heat plate or make a Mama Heating Pad (cave) for chicks, this way you aren't dealing with a lamp and the chicks will have a normal sleep/wake cycle.

Looks like it's surrounded by hardware cloth (?) so will be pretty secure. Bonus is when chicks are able to go into the run portion of that small coop, the other chickens can see them.

I've brooded chicks outside in small housing and it worked well for me.

 

[sunnie7]

I think that would make a perfect brooder!
I would use a heat plate or make a Mama Heating Pad (cave) for chicks, this way you aren't dealing with a lamp and the chicks will have a normal sleep/wake cycle.

Looks like it's surrounded by hardware cloth (?) so will be pretty secure. Bonus is when chicks are able to go into the run portion of that small coop, the other chickens can see them.

I've brooded chicks outside in small housing and it worked well for me.

it is covered in HC just not around the bottom yet!
I’ll look into the Mama heating pad. With the coop being so small there’s definitely not a safe way to put a lamp in there!

 

[CluckerFamily]

If I had a little coop, I would use it for a brooder! A heating plate is a great option and it is also on my list for the next batch of chicks I get.
Good luck!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

it is covered in HC just not around the bottom yet!
I’ll look into the Mama heating pad. With the coop being so small there’s definitely not a safe way to put a lamp in there!

There's a thread about the Mama heating pad (MHP) too, it's long and I wish there was a way to just view photos.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

That's what I have used is a MHP. I've had chicks outside when the temps were in the 20s. I've used a lamp before, but feel the MHP is much better. Of course a broody hen is the best

 

[sunnie7]

There's a thread about the Mama heating pad (MHP) too, it's long and I wish there was a way to just view photos.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

That's what I have used is a MHP. I've had chicks outside when the temps were in the 20s. I've used a lamp before, but feel the MHP is much better. Of course a broody hen is the best

How old were the chicks when you moved them outside with those temps and the MHP?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How old were the chicks when you moved them outside with those temps and the MHP?

They were about a week old.