Heating in a small coop

[RoseZubal]

sure hope so! We have to pick them up and put into the coop. It's only been a week. Does your coop have a ramp?

 

[gunchief25]

yes

 

[RoseZubal]

Ok it makes me feel like I have hope!

 

[AllMarthas]

My girls had a really hard time with the ramp up into the coop. It was their first experience with anything except level ground so we ended up putting little pieces of wood crosswise on it so they had better footing. Now that they're laying, they don't even use the ramp anymore so we took it out so they have more room inside the coop. They'll figure it out.

 

[BigECarter]

I don't plan to ever heat my coop. I have an open coop - I might add a tarp on the open side if we have a hard freeze, otherwise, I expect them to tough it out. The wild birds don't have heat, right?

 

[RoseZubal]

Good point BigECarter! Cross wire is a good idea AllMarthas, My chickens almost make all the way to the top of the ramp then turn around and go back down. I try and temp them with dried meal worms and it almost does...they are a sucker for those meal worms!

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

 

[liz9910]

Welcome to BYC! I wouldn't recommend putting heat in a coop myself just because of the risk of fire, not sure if it's needed in your area however. You should post in your state's thread here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you to get some advice from locals. Good luck to you.

 

[gunchief25]

 sure hope so! We have to pick them up and put into the coop. It's only been a week. Does your coop have a ramp?

This is my ramp

 

[drumstick diva]

Sometimes young birds need a night light on in the coup because they are afraid to go into a dark place. Some people set a timer for around dusk and it goes off in 20-30 min. allowing the birds to go in and settle on the roost before the coop goes dark. After a few days, they don't usually need a light anymore.