I'll just add a general note here for very small flock owners on the topic of heating the coop. (The OP lives in Florida, so this is not so much for Kate.)
If you live in an area that has a cold winter (I mean temps below 0°F), the very small flock owner will want to pay extra attention to the question of coop insulation and/or heat. Chickens put out their own body heat, and a "small" flock of 25 birds is like having a 400-500 watt heater inside the coop, every night!
With only 4 or fewer chickens, the truly small flock owner has a different situation. You don't have as much "chicken heat" in your coop.
Our winter got to -30°F at the coldest. I built an airsealed, insulated coop with passive-solar windows, and used supplemental heating (100 watt heat emitter) on only the very coldest nights.
My BYC page has more info - check out the supplemental page on the Vermont winter coop.
If you live in an area that has a cold winter (I mean temps below 0°F), the very small flock owner will want to pay extra attention to the question of coop insulation and/or heat. Chickens put out their own body heat, and a "small" flock of 25 birds is like having a 400-500 watt heater inside the coop, every night!
With only 4 or fewer chickens, the truly small flock owner has a different situation. You don't have as much "chicken heat" in your coop.
Our winter got to -30°F at the coldest. I built an airsealed, insulated coop with passive-solar windows, and used supplemental heating (100 watt heat emitter) on only the very coldest nights.
My BYC page has more info - check out the supplemental page on the Vermont winter coop.
