Raising baby chicks outside

[clukcluckquack]

Hello, is it okay to raise baby chicks outside with all their food and water of course, in a chicken coop with a 250 watt red heat light? Wanting to raise them next to my adult chickens so I can mix the flocks together later. Thanks!

 

[clukcluckquack]

Whoops, I forgot to mention that the high is 70 for the next ten days and the low is 50. Thanks!

 

[bobbi-j]

How big is the coop? They will need to be able to get away from the heat when they get too warm. If the coop is small, they may not be able to do that. I have brooded chicks in the coop for years. They will be fine. Especially with temps in the 50s to 70s. I have used a heat lamp forever, but this year will be making a MHP brooder. You can check it out here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/ The thread goes on forever, but start at the beginning and then check out posts here and there.

 

[clukcluckquack]

Thanks! The coop is plenty big for them, it can fit 4 large chickens full time or 8 bantams. Thanks for the link!

 

[bobbi-j]

What are the dimensions of the coop? Is it a prefab from a feed store type coop? You don't want the whole coop to be hot for the chicks. I would put the heat lamp in there now, and use a thermometer in the farthest end away from the heat lamp to see how hot it actually gets when it's 70 outside. Overheating will kill your chicks in short order.

 

[Blooie]

I raise them outside exclusively. I’m not on my computer to post a link but in the search tab above you can enter the “Yes You Certainly Can Brood Chicks Outdoors”. The article should come up.

 

[debid]

I brood outdoors and in colder weather. I used to use heat lamps and had trouble with overheating on 70-degree days. It's very difficult to get a lamp to heat appropriately in a small space and trying to use a bulb for both 20F and 70F just didn't work for me. I had to swap out wattage to something lower (I have a 100 and a 175) and it was still too much when the sun was shining so I was forever unplugging and setting reminders to plug back in.

MHP is SO MUCH EASIER. No overheating, no fiddling with the lamp. A 50W heating pad was plenty even down into the teens.

 

[clukcluckquack]

I have a feed store type coop, with the coop top and the run on bottom. I thought I might put the heat lamp on one side of the run, because I figured it was a fire hazard in the actual coop part. The run is 8ft by 3ft so there's definitely room for them to move around. Thanks!

 

[debid]

I have a feed store type coop, with the coop top and the run on bottom. I thought I might put the heat lamp on one side of the run, because I figured it was a fire hazard in the actual coop part. The run is 8ft by 3ft so there's definitely room for them to move around. Thanks!

You'll be training them to sleep outside.

You'd also need to run a piece of plastic sheeting or something around the bottom of the run to block wind as they'll struggle to stay warm if they have a breeze blowing on them. Just don't cover it up entirely or they won't get adequate ventilation.

 

[clukcluckquack]

Thanks!