Heat lamp or an alternative?

[junebuggena]

Use a piece left over from your coop/run build. If you haven't built your coop and run yet, you need to get started. Those chicks will grow much faster than you could ever possibly believe, and they will need to move out much sooner than you may anticipate. Heating pad raised chicks can be ready for outside life in as little as 3 or 4 weeks.

 

[City girl Philly]

We just bought the coop and run last night .....hubby is putting it together tomorrow! Thank you everyone!

 

[junebuggena]

We just bought the coop and run last night .....hubby is putting it together tomorrow! Thank you everyone!

I can guarantee a prefab coop is going to be much too small for 5 chickens. They need a minimum of 4 sq ft per bird in the coop (enclosed shelter) and at least 10 sq ft per bird in the run. Nest boxes and covered, open air portions do not count towards coop space.

 

[Delaneygraces]

Thank you! I have decided to use the heating pad method. Do you know where I could buy a small piece of bendable wire? I was thinking maybe a craft store? Or even Walmar

Cool! Good luck with them!! (Would you still like to see my set up? If not it’s fine! )

 

[City girl Philly]

I can guarantee a prefab coop is going to be much too small for 5 chickens. They need a minimum of 4 sq ft per bird in the coop (enclosed shelter) and at least 10 sq ft per bird in the run. Nest boxes and covered, open air portions do not count towards coop space.

We bought a nice sized coop and it will be fine .....they will have a large run as well. Thanks!

 

[City girl Philly]

I did my homework on all of this and now it's time to "fly!"

 

[City girl Philly]

Cool! Good luck with them!! (Would you still like to see my set up? If not it’s fine! )

Thanks and yes I would love to see your setup!!

 

[junebuggena]

We bought a nice sized coop and it will be fine .....they will have a large run as well. Thanks!

Define 'nice size'. Most of the time, even the ones that claim to house up to 8 are much too small for more than 2 or 3.

 

[Delaneygraces]

Here it is, for the inside one (sorry it’s dark, didn’t want to turn it on in the middle of the night xD ) the lamp is actually higher than it looks, and it’s not too hot, as it appears in the picture, since none of them are under it!
The second picture is o how we keep the lamp up!

 

[junebuggena]

Here it is, for the inside one (sorry it’s dark, didn’t want to turn it on in the middle of the night xD ) the lamp is actually higher than it looks, and it’s not too hot, as it appears in the picture, since none of them are under it!
The second picture is o how we keep the lamp up!View attachment 1338789 View attachment 1338790

Hope you've got a few more tubs and lamps. It's already looking crowded. The lamp is too hot, since there aren't any under it at all. That middle zone is the right temp, but it's too small an area for all the chicks, since they are piling up on each other.