New Chicks Coming tomorrow. Can I brood in my new coop?

[Annalog]

I always started with "supervised ranging". I also made sure they had learned a "come" signal before I let them free-range, such as shaking a dish with a little scratch in it and calling "here chickie, chickie, chickie."

They learned on their own that if I walk through the gate carrying plastic bags that I probably had chicken treats from my mom such as watermelon rinds, cauliflower leaves, strawberry hulls, etc. That is when they run the fastest!

They also know that the blue bucket carried by me or my husband means feeding time.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Here are a few things that I would like to mention:

Make sure that you hang your light at least two ways not including the clamp - I use metal wire to hang it to a feature of the coop so flying chickens won't knock it down. This is very important. Make sure your heat lamp has a ceramic socket and not a plastic one. Use a GFCI extension cord if your plug is not a GFCI.

Use the correct wattage for your temperatures and coop size. They need room to get away from the heat, and need the correct temps. Don't put bedding and flammables too close to the light.
90-95 degrees the first week of life and decrease by 5 degrees per week until fully feathered even on the head at around 6 weeks of age.

I have found chicks to strand themselves away from their light when offered a pop door to exit, until around 3 weeks of age. At that age, they start becoming smarter about going back to their heat lamp to warm up. So I wouldn't let them out until 3 weeks of age into the run unless you are going to put them back in by hand. They will need checking on as they may strand themselves anyway, given there is a ramp. Ramps make things more complicated when they are little, since they forget how to get back in. So you will likely need to stay with them on outings for a week or two, when you start at 3 weeks of age.

I hope this helps!

Don't forget to check your temps during the day and night under the light, to make sure they don't overheat or get cold. It can be difficult in a small space with day and night temps fluctuating to keep an even temperature. If your temps are swinging wildly and they are getting too hot/cold, don't hesitate to bring them inside for the first week or however long you need since they can easily die from that.

 

[Annalog]

I have found that timers that control a three pronged outlet very useful when there are temperature swings between day and night. Where I am, the days are hot and the nights, especially in the three hours before sunrise are cold. I currently have week old chicks in a very large cardboard box in the storage section of the coop. One heat lamp is on all night but is off and on each half hour during the hottest hours of the day. A second heat lamp is on another timer and is off all day and is on and off each half hour during the early part of the night. During the colder part of the night, it is on for an hour and then odd for half an hour. Finally, it is on for an hour and a half just before sunrise and then is on and off for a half hour until the day warms up. This has let us keep the temperatures within an appropriate range for the chicks with it never being too hot or too cold for long. Also, the box is large enough for the chicks to find a temperature they like.

We have found these timers at stores such as Walmart, Ace Hardware, Home Depot, etc. for less than $10. Avoid the ones wich do not let you control the on and off times and the ones that only support two prong outlets.

Yes, I am OCD about chicks.

 

[EggStatic46]

Thank you all for sharing your extensive experience. I think we are ready. The girls a re due to arrive here today 3pm EST
VERY EXCITED!!


THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thank you all for sharing your extensive experience. I think we are ready. The girls a re due to arrive here today 3pm EST
VERY EXCITED!!


THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!!

You are welcome and if that light bulb proves to be too hot you can substitute it for a lesser wattage to get your temperature under the light perfect. You need a thermometer if you don't have one already. It will prove to be very useful!

 

[EggStatic46]

Thanks!
I did put a thermometer on the back wall. I am running it now to see how hot it gets in there with the vents closed.

 

[Annalog]

Put a second thermometer on the floor under the lamp. It will be much hotter there than on the wall. It is important to know the range of temperatures within the brooding area.

I have three thermometers in my brooder that the chicks can climb on or look at. One is an outdoor spring variety that will hang or stand. It gives me a rough idea of the temperature that I can read from several feet away. It also is perching toy for the chicks. I have a cheap digital one that is a bit more accurate that is easy to read up close. Finally, I have a four year old remote digital thermometer that has no screen. Instead, it transmits to a base receiver in our master bathroom, the closest part of the house to the coop, that I use to check the temperature without going out to the coop. It is great for the middle of the night and tracking high/low ranges. When I don't have chicks brooding, I use it to check summer highs and winter lows in the coop. It also gives me an idea of the temperature outside when I am getting ready for the day.

 

[EggStatic46]

WOW....this is more daunting than I thought. I had my lamp on and the temp on the thermometer on the back wall was reading 95 but I put a them under the lamp and was ready 120!!! I have the lamp raised almost as high as it can go. Its only 75 degrees here today and not sunny. I opened up both air vents and raise the lamp even more. I wonder if I should just leave it off during the days and just turn on in the evenings.....nervous Nelly here.
I may need a lower wattage as suggested by "ChickensAreSweet" but cant leave to go get one as I may miss the delivery of the girls.....ho hum

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

WOW....this is more daunting than I thought. I had my lamp on and the temp on the thermometer on the back wall was reading 95 but I put a them under the lamp and was ready 120!!! I have the lamp raised almost as high as it can go. Its only 75 degrees here today and not sunny. I opened up both air vents and raise the lamp even more. I wonder if I should just leave it off during the days and just turn on in the evenings.....nervous Nelly here.
I may need a lower wattage as suggested by "ChickensAreSweet" but cant leave to go get one as I may miss the delivery of the girls.....ho hum

What wattage bulb are you using and is it a "heat" lamp bulb?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Now that I see the pictures it does appear it is a standard "heat" bulb and I would guess it is likely a 250 watt bulb - a lower wattage bulb will help you adjust the temperature when you are not able to raise it any higher to try to cut the temperature.