Can you use a heat lamp in a prefab coop?

[SueT]

Will it cover 5 chicks?

yes

 

[FC16]

yesView attachment 3285945

Perfect, thankyou I will look into this as an option

 

[FC16]

Here is my article on coop ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

Better to cut out large rectangles than to drill little holes -- and use the cut out piece to make a top-hinged cover to keep the weather out of the new vent.

As long as the vents are above the chickens' heads there won't be a draft. This is my Outdoor Brooder: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/run-to-outdoor-brooder-conversion.76634/

Thankyou will read up on it and make some changes to the coop. So with the correct ventilation and a heat source they should be just fine to be out there once they’ve hatched?

At what age would be a good time to let them into the run outside the coop?

 

[SueT]

People also use heating pads to brood chicks, improvising a frame that the chicks can go under. There are threads with detailed instructions, I haven’t used one myself.

 

[3KillerBs]

At what age would be a good time to let them into the run outside the coop?

I don't have much experience with that part because they mainly stay in my giant brooder until I'm ready to move them to the big coop so I can't advise you.

 

[SueT]

I’m just a bit worried that it would be unbearable to come out from underneath it as they are oitside and we have low temperatures of around 8°c at night and 12-14°c in the day

My mama hen takes chicks 2 days old outside into temps like that, and I’ve been surprised how much time they spend NOT under her. They don’t need constant 90º, They are tougher than most people give them credit for. Chicks raised this way seem to grow their feathers much faster.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just as reference, since you're worried about it being too cold with more ventilation, this is my outdoor brooder:

I have a "mama heating pad" set up behind the solid panel on the left, and by placing the entire set up a few feet behind the coop to block prevailing winds, I haven't had an issue with drafts. I brood chicks from about 3 days old in this in low temperatures similar to yours.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is risk any time you use electricity, a short can cause fire or shock. You always have to take care. To me the biggest fire risk to a heat lamp is that clamp they sell with it. Don't use the clamp, secure the lamp in place so it can't fall with wire or chain and you have eliminated the vast majority or fire risk.

To me the biggest challenge to brooding outside is the temperature swings. I've seen the temperatures go from below freezing to 20 C (70 F) in less than a day. Your brooder needs to have a spot warm enough in the coolest temperatures and a spot cool enough in the warmest conditions. Too much heat is dangerous too, they need to be able to cool off when they need to.

I’m worried about using a heat lamp because of the possibility of a fire starting, do you think a brooder plate would be a good idea so they can sit under it when they get cold. I’m just a bit worried that it would be unbearable to come out from underneath it as they are oitside and we have low temperatures of around 8°c at night and 12-14°c in the day

Thanks for those temperatures, they help. There are different reasons you need ventilation. If their droppings are allowed to stay wet they decompose and create ammonia. Ammonia is poisonous gas and it stinks. Since ammonia is lighter than air it rises. As long as you have even a small hole up high it will escape and not be a danger. You have that.

One danger to chickens if moisture cannot escape is frostbite. Chickens can handle truly cold weather once they feather out as long as the air is dry. Moisture can come from their breath, their poop, and maybe any thawed water in the coop or rain or snow blowing in. That's where most of the thought about ventilation comes from in the winter. Your chicks won't be out there in summer. For then to get frostbite, the temperature has to be below freezing. At 8 C (-13 F) you are in zero danger from frostbite. Nada. You don't need that much ventilation to get rid of moisture in the winter. If they get that cold you have other more serious problems when they are that young.

Now to the reason I would not suggest a heat lamp or any kind of general heater unless you have it on a thermostat to keep it from overheating that space. My 100 cm x 200 cm (3 ft x 6 ft) brooder is in the coop. I keep one end warm with a heat lamp (wattage of the bulb depends on the time of the year) and let the far end cool off as much as it will. In winter that can have ice on it. I put chicks in there straight from the incubator even if ambient temperatures are below freezing. One end stays toasty, that's where they mostly stay, especially the first few days. But many people would be surprised how much time they spend in the cooler areas. When then the weather warms up they move to the cooler areas, they can manage to not overheat as long as they have the option. It is not unbearable for them to go to cooler areas as long as they have a warm spot to go back to.

My brooder is inside the coop so it is protected from rain and such but has excellent ventilation. It can cool off in one area while the other is heated. I'm not convinced yours can do that. It would probably be OK with that ventilation slot open. I can't tell if that has a ridge vent, if it does then you have plenty of ventilation. Still, I'd feel better with something like a heat plate. You don't get the type of heat variation in the winter that many of us do, you might be OK with a heat lamp but I'm not sure. The danger is that the whole thing gets too cold or the whole thing gets too warm. With a heat plate or heating pad you are only heating a small portion of it.

Your summers aren't going to get that hot, thanks for telling us your general location. I'd expect your typical highest temperature to normally be in the low to mid 80's F (27 to 29 C) though with the extremes lately it could be warmer. In those temperatures I would feel comfort brooding outside with a heating plate as long as you could put that brooder in the shade from mid-afternoon until dark. I'd avoid full sun in the heat of the day.

 

[FC16]

There is risk any time you use electricity, a short can cause fire or shock. You always have to take care. To me the biggest fire risk to a heat lamp is that clamp they sell with it. Don't use the clamp, secure the lamp in place so it can't fall with wire or chain and you have eliminated the vast majority or fire risk.

To me the biggest challenge to brooding outside is the temperature swings. I've seen the temperatures go from below freezing to 20 C (70 F) in less than a day. Your brooder needs to have a spot warm enough in the coolest temperatures and a spot cool enough in the warmest conditions. Too much heat is dangerous too, they need to be able to cool off when they need to.


Thanks for those temperatures, they help. There are different reasons you need ventilation. If their droppings are allowed to stay wet they decompose and create ammonia. Ammonia is poisonous gas and it stinks. Since ammonia is lighter than air it rises. As long as you have even a small hole up high it will escape and not be a danger. You have that.

One danger to chickens if moisture cannot escape is frostbite. Chickens can handle truly cold weather once they feather out as long as the air is dry. Moisture can come from their breath, their poop, and maybe any thawed water in the coop or rain or snow blowing in. That's where most of the thought about ventilation comes from in the winter. Your chicks won't be out there in summer. For then to get frostbite, the temperature has to be below freezing. At 8 C (-13 F) you are in zero danger from frostbite. Nada. You don't need that much ventilation to get rid of moisture in the winter. If they get that cold you have other more serious problems when they are that young.

Now to the reason I would not suggest a heat lamp or any kind of general heater unless you have it on a thermostat to keep it from overheating that space. My 100 cm x 200 cm (3 ft x 6 ft) brooder is in the coop. I keep one end warm with a heat lamp (wattage of the bulb depends on the time of the year) and let the far end cool off as much as it will. In winter that can have ice on it. I put chicks in there straight from the incubator even if ambient temperatures are below freezing. One end stays toasty, that's where they mostly stay, especially the first few days. But many people would be surprised how much time they spend in the cooler areas. When then the weather warms up they move to the cooler areas, they can manage to not overheat as long as they have the option. It is not unbearable for them to go to cooler areas as long as they have a warm spot to go back to.

My brooder is inside the coop so it is protected from rain and such but has excellent ventilation. It can cool off in one area while the other is heated. I'm not convinced yours can do that. It would probably be OK with that ventilation slot open. I can't tell if that has a ridge vent, if it does then you have plenty of ventilation. Still, I'd feel better with something like a heat plate. You don't get the type of heat variation in the winter that many of us do, you might be OK with a heat lamp but I'm not sure. The danger is that the whole thing gets too cold or the whole thing gets too warm. With a heat plate or heating pad you are only heating a small portion of it.

Your summers aren't going to get that hot, thanks for telling us your general location. I'd expect your typical highest temperature to normally be in the low to mid 80's F (27 to 29 C) though with the extremes lately it could be warmer. In those temperatures I would feel comfort brooding outside with a heating plate as long as you could put that brooder in the shade from mid-afternoon until dark. I'd avoid full sun in the heat of the day.

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

 

[SandyRiverChick]

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!!