KappyFlock
Songster
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!
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!