Please Help! Baby chicks and coop

[Jade23]

Hi Everyone! My chicks are getting to the age where they can leave the brooder and stay/sleep in their coop. I just read so ewhere on here that you have to Teach them to sleep in the coop?? How do I do that??? Also should I put a heat lamp in the coop for them or should they be okay?? I’m so clueless on what to do I assumed they would know to go into the coop if they wanted to sleep

 

[MissE]

Hi Everyone! My chicks are getting to the age where they can leave the brooder and stay/sleep in their coop. I just read so ewhere on here that you have to Teach them to sleep in the coop?? How do I do that??? Also should I put a heat lamp in the coop for them or should they be okay?? I’m so clueless on what to do I assumed they would know to go into the coop if they wanted to sleep

Just lock them in the coop and don't let them our for a few days. They will learn that's their new home and happily return at night to sleep. This works with older birds too.

Heat depends on age, amount of feathers, and weather. My guess is any chick 4 weeks old or older will be fine with no heat this time of year. We were still having nights in the 40s when mine went out with no heat.

 

[Jade23]

Just lock them in the coop and don't let them our for a few days. They will learn that's their new home and happily return at night to sleep. This works with older birds too.

Heat depends on age, amount of feathers, and weather. My guess is any chick 4 weeks old or older will be fine with no heat this time of year. We were still having nights in the 40s when mine went out with no heat.

Thank you so much for replying! This is very helpful! It’s been in the 50’s at night here so they should be good then!

 

[MissE]

Thank you so much for replying! This is very helpful! It’s been in the 50’s at night here so they should be good then!

Yes, they will be fine and will appreciate the extra room in the coop.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I didn't need to integrate with older chickens, the chicks have their own coop
Nest boxes were boarded up, heat lamp installed, (temps were forecast to drop to 41 F/5 C) and feed and water were put in coop.
I put my 8 chicks in the coop at 4.5 weeks old.
I took them out of the brooder and put them in a cardboard box and took them to the coop and set inside.
I opened box and flipped it on its side. They slowly came out.

They started to explore and scratch in the shavings.

They found the feeder first.

Then the waterer.

Later some jumped onto roosts.

I used the heat lamp at half power for two nights, (temps dropped to 39 F).

Heat lamp is at one side of roosts so chicks choose their comfort zone.
I use a plug-in dimmer to control heat otherwise it could get too hot.

Other option would be to use a lower watt halogen bulb.

My Chicks were off heat in the brooder in an enclosed porch. Temps stayed above 50 F/10 C overnight after they were 5.5 weeks old and didn't need additional heat.
They were all getting on the roosts at sunset within a week.

I kept them in the coop for a week and a half, (because they could squeeze through the chain-link fence), before opening pop-door.
They didn't come out for a few days.
Now they come out after feeding.

They still have feed and water inside and water and Poultry Grit under the raised coop. GC