Heat for chicks in winter?

[kathy32]

My daughter got two chicks from her Vo-Ag teacher at the end of the semester (another class raised them). They are fully feathered but I'm not sure of the exact age. We have raised chicks for years - but only in spring! - and I can't figure out what to do about heat. We are in Southern New England (currently a cold snap). They were housed in the classroom before we got them. They are now in an outdoor mini-coop (separate from the rest of the flock) with a heat lamp on 24/7. The heat lamp is keeping the whole coop above freezing (the water in the far corner has not had ice), but how do I go about transitioning them to cooler temps? I've never done this when it's quite so cold before. I have been letting them out into their run here and there, but I could also use some guidance on that. Thanks in advance!

 

[Debbie292d]

Could you just get them a radiant panel heater, like Cozy Coop, which won't heat the coop. Then you could leave them out there and if they get cold, they can lean up by it. Those are safe, and if they tip over, they shut off.

Are they where they and your other chickens can see each other? Usually integration works better if they're the same size. You might not be able to for a month or two yet, though you can always try and see if they get attacked.

 

[kathy32]

Could you just get them a radiant panel heater, like Cozy Coop, which won't heat the coop. Then you could leave them out there and if they get cold, they can lean up by it. Those are safe, and if they tip over, they shut off.

Are they where they and your other chickens can see each other? Usually integration works better if they're the same size. You might not be able to for a month or two yet, though you can always try and see if they get attacked.

Oh wow, that looks like a great product! Thanks for the recommendation. I don't like having a heat lamp in the coop and that panel looks a lot safer. I'm going to see if our feed store or local TSC has it in stock.

They can see each other, we generally get a few new chicks each year so have a pretty good set up for integrating them - we have a mini coop and mini run alongside the big run, so that they can see each other, and eventually we open a door between the runs, and then eventually they generally all just move into the big coop on their own at some point. I'm in no rush to blend them though - one year we did rush it and two chicks got hurt and it was horrible!

 

[kathy32]

Could you just get them a radiant panel heater, like Cozy Coop, which won't heat the coop. Then you could leave them out there and if they get cold, they can lean up by it. Those are safe, and if they tip over, they shut off.

Are they where they and your other chickens can see each other? Usually integration works better if they're the same size. You might not be able to for a month or two yet, though you can always try and see if they get attacked.

So do you think with one of those panels I should open the door to their little run during the day also? Even if its in the 20s or 30s? Or would that chill the coop too much? They'll know to go back in and stand by the heater if they get cold? (That sounds like a silly question!))

 

[Debbie292d]

So do you think with one of those panels I should open the door to their little run during the day also? Even if its in the 20s or 30s? Or would that chill the coop too much? They'll know to go back in and stand by the heater if they get cold? (That sounds like a silly question!))

Yes, you can keep the door open. It's not going to heat much of an area up. We have one in a remodeled doghouse that's attached to a pen for younger chicks and that does keep heat in a little bit but not when it gets really cold like 20F or under. You can feel heat a couple of inches away. Our little ones all cuddle up to it. I call them little but their silkies about 4 months old, so my "little ones".

When they get cold, they'll know where to go!