New Chicks Straight to the Coop?

[KappyFlock]

Hello! I just joined BYC and am posting my first question.

Our family is building our first coop and expect to be ready for 6 chicks (pullets) in the next month or so. I have been reading on here about starting new chicks out in the coop rather than indoors in a brooder. I am intrigued and have some questions about how to make this work. I've done a lot of reading here on BYC, but for some reason, now that I'm trying to make some decisions, I don't feel confident enough without asking questions.

Our (nowhere near complete) coop is based on the Wichita Cabin Coop, The Palace, Boisemarker, Clamser Coop ... that variety. We are grateful to everyone who has posted coop designs and photos -- it gave us a great place to start! I'll post pictures eventually.

1. Heat source. We are in MI, so we'll need a heat source, right? I was reading about the Mama Heating Pad and I've decided that's what I want to do, as long as my husband is ok with running an extension cord from the barn to the coop while we do that. Does this plan sound good?

2. Coop open or closed? We will have a few inches of permanent ventilation at the top of all four walls of our coop. Is this enough for the chicks, or would we want to open the windows for them too? Would it be too warm in there without the additional ventilation? I'd like them to be able to see outside, but the windows will be too high up. Maybe if we open the pop door and put hardware cloth over it to keep them from falling out? That way they can see. Then I'd put the Mama Heating Pad away from the pop door so they wouldn't feel any drafts over there. What do you think?

3. Leaving the coop. To start, I'm picturing keeping them solely in the coop for a while, not even in the run. Is that right? How long before we can bring them out to handle them? And when can we let them run around a little?

Thank you!

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your general location into your profile people will be able to give you better targeted advice when you ask questions.

I'm a great advocate of outdoor brooding. IMO the chicks are healthier and hardier that way.

My Outdoor Brooder has 16 square feet of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation plus an additional 10 square feet of supplemental ventilation. As long as there are no drafts at chick level there's no such thing as too much ventilation. Excessive heat is dangerous. There should be enough ventilation that the inside of the coop is the same temperature and humidity as the outside.

I didn't cover any of my permanent ventilation when I was brooding chicks just out of the incubator with night temperatures below freezing. I just made sure my heat source was adequate.

Yes, you will need a heat source.

Many people love the mama heating pad, but I *personally* am suspicious of letting a heating pad run 24/7 for weeks. They're not designed for it.

Brooder plates ARE designed for it -- so I *personally* think they're probably safer. Others will differ.

Putting hardware cloth in your pop door sounds like a great idea -- as long as it's FIRMLY secured or opens into a predator-proof run. Once I open the supplemental vent on the end my babies spend a LOT of time near the wire wall enjoying the sight of the outside world.

Here's my article on ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

 

[rosemarythyme]

Always count on having a heat source unless you have consistently high temperatures day and night (in which case, overheating is a bigger risk). I personally am a heating pad user, I strongly suggest you test the pad with the outlet you're planning on using in advance to make sure it'll stay on day and night without issue.

Coop windows open/closed - you're the only one that can really answer that. Get a thermometer and measure the temps inside the coop to see what the difference is between inside and outside temperatures. As a general rule as long as the heating pad is in a draft free location, they should be fine as long as the ambient temperature isn't too high or too low (and some folks have used heating pads down to the 20s). Example: this is my outdoor brooder. The heating pad goes on the left side. Notice how much open ventilation there is (back side is similar to front with 1/3rd wood, 2/3rd open wire).

 

[Ridgerunner]

Our (nowhere near complete) coop is based on the Wichita Cabin Coop, The Palace, Boisemarker, Clamser Coop ... that variety. We are grateful to everyone who has posted coop designs and photos -- it gave us a great place to start! I'll post pictures eventually.

So you have an elevated coop section closed at the bottom and a solid floor so they have no draft down where they are but it's open on top of all of the walls. Sounds perfect for brooding to me. I assume it has a ramp down to a totally enclosed and probably predator proof run. I'm not sure how big the enclosed coop or the secure run is.

1. Heat source. We are in MI, so we'll need a heat source, right? I was reading about the Mama Heating Pad and I've decided that's what I want to do, as long as my husband is ok with running an extension cord from the barn to the coop while we do that. Does this plan sound good?

To me the plan sounds good. Just be careful how you run that extension cord and make sure it is good for the weather. To me the ideal brooder has one spot warm enough in the coldest weather and a spot cool enough in the warmest weather. That way they can decide where they want to be. I don't know what your lowest temperatures will be at night but you will probably need a heat source. Whether they use it or not is their choice. Don't freak out if they decide they don't need it after a day or two.

There are several different ways you can provide that heat source. I use a heat lamp which I would not recommend for your set-up. If it is set up right a heating pad can work great. I trust you've read Blooie's thread so you can set it up right. A warning I can remember are to make sure it does not automatically shut down, many do at two hours. Don't use an old one that looks worn or cracked. Her husband was a firefighter and he said the wires can get brittle in an old one, break, and start a fire. A pad in good shape is not a problem.

2. Coop open or closed? We will have a few inches of permanent ventilation at the top of all four walls of our coop. Is this enough for the chicks, or would we want to open the windows for them too? Would it be too warm in there without the additional ventilation?

Openings at the top will probably be enough but that has to be your call. I would expect the heat from that pad to pretty much go up and not heat the entire area. There is nothing wrong with opening the windows as long as rain doesn't blow in and they are predator proof. I'd probably leave the windows open.

I'd like them to be able to see outside, but the windows will be too high up. Maybe if we open the pop door and put hardware cloth over it to keep them from falling out? That way they can see. Then I'd put the Mama Heating Pad away from the pop door so they wouldn't feel any drafts over there. What do you think?

I don't see any need to cover that pop door and leave it open. I don't see any harm either as long as you can easily reach inside to care for the chicks. Don't worry too much about drafts. If they don't like where they are they'll move. They are not as helpless as we sometimes assume.

3. Leaving the coop. To start, I'm picturing keeping them solely in the coop for a while, not even in the run. Is that right? How long before we can bring them out to handle them? And when can we let them run around a little?

Yes leave them in the coop section only for a while. Don't trust them to use that ramp. The coop section is plenty big enough and has everything they need. I would not open it up and let them in the run section until I was comfortable they can handle the temperatures without any heat unless you are there to put them back in. Not sure what temperatures you will be seeing, that could be as early as two weeks but I'd probably wait until at least three weeks. That's more for mobility than heat concerns. As long as you don't have breeds that can't fly like Silkies they can fly much better than you'd think at two weeks but three weeks is probably better. Once they get in the run they will probably stay down there all day, especially if they have food and water in the run. If your coop was ground level I would not be concerned about it but I just don't trust them to use that ramp or even fly up. You'll probably have to train them to use it.

You can take them out to handle almost immediately.

 

[KappyFlock]

So you have an elevated coop section closed at the bottom and a solid floor so they have no draft down where they are but it's open on top of all of the walls. Sounds perfect for brooding to me. I assume it has a ramp down to a totally enclosed and probably predator proof run. I'm not sure how big the enclosed coop or the secure run is.


To me the plan sounds good. Just be careful how you run that extension cord and make sure it is good for the weather. To me the ideal brooder has one spot warm enough in the coldest weather and a spot cool enough in the warmest weather. That way they can decide where they want to be. I don't know what your lowest temperatures will be at night but you will probably need a heat source. Whether they use it or not is their choice. Don't freak out if they decide they don't need it after a day or two.

There are several different ways you can provide that heat source. I use a heat lamp which I would not recommend for your set-up. If it is set up right a heating pad can work great. I trust you've read Blooie's thread so you can set it up right. A warning I can remember are to make sure it does not automatically shut down, many do at two hours. Don't use an old one that looks worn or cracked. Her husband was a firefighter and he said the wires can get brittle in an old one, break, and start a fire. A pad in good shape is not a problem.


Openings at the top will probably be enough but that has to be your call. I would expect the heat from that pad to pretty much go up and not heat the entire area. There is nothing wrong with opening the windows as long as rain doesn't blow in and they are predator proof. I'd probably leave the windows open.


I don't see any need to cover that pop door and leave it open. I don't see any harm either as long as you can easily reach inside to care for the chicks. Don't worry too much about drafts. If they don't like where they are they'll move. They are not as helpless as we sometimes assume.


Yes leave them in the coop section only for a while. Don't trust them to use that ramp. The coop section is plenty big enough and has everything they need. I would not open it up and let them in the run section until I was comfortable they can handle the temperatures without any heat unless you are there to put them back in. Not sure what temperatures you will be seeing, that could be as early as two weeks but I'd probably wait until at least three weeks. That's more for mobility than heat concerns. As long as you don't have breeds that can't fly like Silkies they can fly much better than you'd think at two weeks but three weeks is probably better. Once they get in the run they will probably stay down there all day, especially if they have food and water in the run. If your coop was ground level I would not be concerned about it but I just don't trust them to use that ramp or even fly up. You'll probably have to train them to use it.

You can take them out to handle almost immediately.

 

[KappyFlock]

Ok, I don't know what happened to my reply to Ridgerunner so I'm trying again here. I must have made some mistake.

Thank you! You have confirmed some of my thoughts so this helps. Also, you gave me a new thought. I hadn't thought of having to train them to use the ramp. But we'll deal with that later, as they won't have access to the ramp to start with anyway.
I'll add some more info to my profile, as suggested by 3KillerBs, but meanwhile I'll answer your questions here. The coop is 6x5 and the attached enclosed run is 6x16. I do envision them staying in the run all day once they're old enough. We also expect to have some more run or a tractor or some way to expand their territory eventually. Eventually is the key word there! haha Lately our weather is high 80s or even 90s during the day and down into the 60s maybe at night. So yes we'll need a heat source. Thank you again for replying!

 

[KappyFlock]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your general location into your profile people will be able to give you better targeted advice when you ask questions.

I'm a great advocate of outdoor brooding. IMO the chicks are healthier and hardier that way.

My Outdoor Brooder has 16 square feet of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation plus an additional 10 square feet of supplemental ventilation. As long as there are no drafts at chick level there's no such thing as too much ventilation. Excessive heat is dangerous. There should be enough ventilation that the inside of the coop is the same temperature and humidity as the outside.

I didn't cover any of my permanent ventilation when I was brooding chicks just out of the incubator with night temperatures below freezing. I just made sure my heat source was adequate.

Yes, you will need a heat source.

Many people love the mama heating pad, but I *personally* am suspicious of letting a heating pad run 24/7 for weeks. They're not designed for it.

Brooder plates ARE designed for it -- so I *personally* think they're probably safer. Others will differ.

Putting hardware cloth in your pop door sounds like a great idea -- as long as it's FIRMLY secured or opens into a predator-proof run. Once I open the supplemental vent on the end my babies spend a LOT of time near the wire wall enjoying the sight of the outside world.

Here's my article on ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

Thank you!
Repecka's explanation is great! Our ventilation scheme will be similar to Elizapeck's. I will share the link with my husband in case he wants to make any modifications, although I think our coop is far enough along that he won't be making any major changes. Plus, if Elizapeck has approved it, it's good enough for us!
I like your outdoor brooder. For our brooder, I wish we had something that would give them access to the ground, but it will be easiest to just keep them in the coop. Pine shavings on the floor, I suppose.
A brooder plate is my first choice but those things are expensive so I'm trying to save money by making our own. I haven't made my final decision yet though.
I will add more info to my profile. Thanks for the suggestion and for your entire response.

 

[KappyFlock]

Always count on having a heat source unless you have consistently high temperatures day and night (in which case, overheating is a bigger risk). I personally am a heating pad user, I strongly suggest you test the pad with the outlet you're planning on using in advance to make sure it'll stay on day and night without issue.

Coop windows open/closed - you're the only one that can really answer that. Get a thermometer and measure the temps inside the coop to see what the difference is between inside and outside temperatures. As a general rule as long as the heating pad is in a draft free location, they should be fine as long as the ambient temperature isn't too high or too low (and some folks have used heating pads down to the 20s). Example: this is my outdoor brooder. The heating pad goes on the left side. Notice how much open ventilation there is (back side is similar to front with 1/3rd wood, 2/3rd open wire).

View attachment 3190005

Thank you for your response and the photo. Yes, I think with our current weather the ventilation will be really important. High 80s during the day and down into the 60s or 70s at night. So they will need the ventilation. And then they can use the heating pad or heating plate at will. Definitely we will test it first. That's a good idea.

 

[3KillerBs]

For our brooder, I wish we had something that would give them access to the ground, but it will be easiest to just keep them in the coop. Pine shavings on the floor, I suppose.
A brooder plate is my first choice but those things are expensive so I'm trying to save money by making our own.

Mine was a gift, but it's one of the less expensive versions: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-brooder-and-coop-heater

If you use the mama heating pad, be sure to follow @Blooie's advice. She's the expert on that.

 

[KappyFlock]

Mine was a gift, but it's one of the less expensive versions: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-brooder-and-coop-heater

If you use the mama heating pad, be sure to follow @Blooie's advice. She's the expert on that.

Thanks for the product suggestion. It made me realize some brooder plates can be used as heaters in the winter. One of the reasons we didn't want to spend the money is it's useful for only a few weeks, but if it can also be used in the winter if necessary, then it becomes more worth the money. I am sure I've seen Blooie's heating pad post, and I will be looking it up again if I decide to build one!