New Chicks - Need advice.

[MirandaNicole]

We picked up our chicks from the Co-op today!!

We currently have them in a tote with a lamp but we're almost finished with a new coop and we're wondering if it's okay to brood them inside the coop? We're not brand new to chickens but last time we got 6 month olds instead of chicks so raising the chicks is new to us! Thanks for any advice!

 

[SueT]

Yes you can brood them in the coop....look up forums on "mama heating pad" and other alternatives to heat lamps. Check out the Learning Center as well....
There is an answer to every question....welcome to BYC!

 

[PearlaMae123]

Hello! WELCOME!!! I'm so glad you decided to get baby chicks! Watching them grow up is so special!
I did SO much research before we got chickens, so I have many facts.

In that picture, you have about 20 chicks, right? If so, you are going to need a bit of a bigger brooder. Baby chicks may be tiny at first, but they grow very very fast. Once they get to be about 4,5 or 6 weeks old, they will be wanting OUT. They flap and attempt jumping out all the time.
(because of their boundless energy, I would recommend introducing a poultry nipple waterer soon. It prevents them from dirtying
their water.)
Anyways, there are SO many threads on BYC that you can look at. Food, temp. for the brooding light, when to transition them to a nice coop etc. With so many new members of the family, it will be a lot of work, but you can only try your hardest to give these chicks a great life.

PLEASE ASK MORE QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM!!!! GOOD LUCK!!!!


(P.S. with so many chicks, when you move them to the coop, that coop will need to be large

)

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Welcome to BYC and the chicken obsession!
Yes, you can brood right in the coop and, in many ways, it is advantageous to do so. First of all, brooding in the coop keeps the chicken dust out of the house - big plus! The other advantages are in relation to the birds themselves -- brooding outside provides a more natural experience without the artificial ambient temperatures found indoors which leads (imo) to heartier birds that develop at a more natural rate (faster) -- this does, of course, depend on the type of coop and the heat source used -- if your coop is small and the heat source is a lamp that heats the entire area it makes this advantage a moot point, but in large area with a direct heat source (ie brooder plate, mama heat pad, etc) this applies. If your coop is a large, walk-in style coop that you can go into and spend time with the birds on their level you have an advantage when it comes to socializing your chicks - this is helpful if your goal is friendly/pet-type birds.....a traditional brooder box/tub/etc makes it so that this is not an option without removing them from the brooder and requires you to approach them from above at all times, like a predator, vs being able to just sit down on the brooder floor and allow them to approach, investigate and know you as a familiar and non-threatening thing.