Can you use a heat lamp in a prefab coop?

[Ridgerunner]

You can put a light in there if you wish, I'd only have it on about 12 hours a day at most. A small wattage LED would be great. it doesn't have to be red.

What I do is to use natural light. If you want you can install a piece of clear plastic somewhere but I'd just leave that ventilation slot open so natural light can enter. It should give enough light. They don't need much, just enough to eat and drink.

 

[FC16]

Good for you for brooding outside! I did the exact same thing as you, used a little pre-fab for chicks. But also like you I worried about the thin walls and how to make it warm enough. I found a video of someone "adding insulation to a pre-fab coop," so I thought I'd do that. But when I started taking it apart to attach insulation it was a real pain in the rear and didn't work out. So then I decided to just put the prefab up against my coop and build a little run for them to also go outside. I did add my own little window just using double glass from picture frames for natural light. I use a MHP which is really all they need for heat but the reptile/ceramic bulbs do work well to keep the ambient temp up. Whenever you've said "red heat lamp," that is definitely something I'd try to not use at all, ever. Eventually I moved my pre-fab INSIDE my coop sectioned off from the bigs where only the little's can get out to the little run. Can you move it close to your coop for insulation/wind block on at least one side? You can use the purple foam board insulation which is waterproof on the external sides placed so that the chicks cant get to it (they like to eat it.) The little run you have doesn't look very predator proof I'm afraid... You got this though, just get creative!!

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Thankyou for your advice that seems a great set up you have unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to move it next to my main coop as my run already isn’t too big and it would probably take up too much space. I’m going to be making alterations to the little run on the prefab coop as it isn’t great, I’m think I’m going to try and add more secure chicken wire and try and make a roof over the top. I’m quite lucky where I am and the only predators are foxes (which we have only ever seen at night and no where near our garden). The only other threat we have to young chicks is cats, so we really just need something to keep the cats away. They don’t tend to try break through chicken wire, if they can’t walk through it easily we’ve noticed they usually just walk away.
Do you know of any easy ways I could insulate the prefab coop a bit without taking the whole thing apart? Thanks

 

[FC16]

You can put a light in there if you wish, I'd only have it on about 12 hours a day at most. A small wattage LED would be great. it doesn't have to be red.

What I do is to use natural light. If you want you can install a piece of clear plastic somewhere but I'd just leave that ventilation slot open so natural light can enter. It should give enough light. They don't need much, just enough to eat and drink.

Yeah that sounds a good idea actually, I might add a light just to brighten it up a bit during the day but just before it starts to get dark turn it off so they can sort of base their sleep off natural light

 

[3KillerBs]

Thankyou for your advice it’s very helpful, I’m definitely thinking to stay away from heat lamps now as even my indoor one last time wasn’t too reliable.
I’ve never used a heat plate before but I’m definitely thinking it’s the best option for them even if it costs a little more
I’ve attached a picture of the one I’m thinking of ordering tonight, not sure how they can advertise it as 25 chicks as that does not look possible I only have 6 eggs anyway and 4 look viable on day 14.

As the heat plate provides no light and the coop door will be shut until they’re old enough to go outside would it be okay for me to buy a red light to put into the coop? I’m just worried it will be way too dark for them in there

I just let them rise and sleep with the natural light, but my brooder allows a lot more light in so a small additional light during daylight hours might be good for you.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Do you know of any easy ways I could insulate the prefab coop a bit without taking the whole thing apart?

The easiest way is that purple foam board insulation. It's about $30/sheet and easy to break or jigsaw. It wouldn't be pretty but you could insulate from external, the coop walls. It does make a huge difference.

 

[rosemarythyme]

x2 on natural light. It just makes things so much easier on them to be have a natural dimming of light at sunset, which is the signal for them to crawl under their heat source and settle down for the evening. I'd just cut a couple of the boards out near the top of the gables and securely screw/fender washer wire mesh over them, to provide light and ventilation. They don't need it super bright in there, but they do need to be able to see to navigate to food and water.