Raising chicks in the coop.

[ZoobysChicks]

I’m turning a big shed into a coop. I was going to put the brooder inside the coop to raise my first batch of chicks. My question is that when they are one month old can I just let them out of the brooder to wander around the coop freely and have a corner set up with the heat lamp that has correct temperature?

 

[FunClucks]

Sure, you could do that. Be cautious of fire risk from the heat lamp. They can go outside when they are fully feathered, between 4-6 weeks, sooner in mild weather.

 

[Rillowen]

Hopefully more experienced people than I respond to this. I would think that would be ok, but you want to make sure it's both predator proof and draft free and has VERY good ventilation. The ammonia gas from poo is no joke, and too high humidity can cause problems in the cold.

 

[ZoobysChicks]

Sure, you could do that. Be cautious of fire risk from the heat lamp. They can go outside when they are fully feathered, between 4-6 weeks, sooner in mild weather.

I’m going to plan to have multiple back ups to hang it so there is no fall risk and clean it once a week to keep dust off of it.

 

[ZoobysChicks]

Hopefully more experienced people than I respond to this. I would think that would be ok, but you want to make sure it's both predator proof and draft free and has VERY good ventilation. The ammonia gas from poo is no joke, and too high humidity can cause problems in the cold.

 

[ZoobysChicks]

It appears to be pretty dry while also having ventilation. Has almost no smell for how old it is.

 

[RoyalChick]

I don't see an issue with that. I personally prefer a heat plate to a lamp for safety and I have found that just hatched chicks can be a bit directionally challenged so you might want to confine them a bit more until they know where home is - just so they don't get lost too far from the heat.
Future hatches you will need to think about how to protect them from the rest of your flock - a chick-sized door in the brooder helps so they can come out but the big ones can't come in. But if I understood your post right, that is a problem for the future.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Raising your chicks in the coop is a fabulous approach, it allows for early integration with minimal, and for me zero, issues. I have been doing all of my brooding in coop for several years and can't believe I ever did it any other way

Here is a wonderful article by another very respected member here about their approach to doing exactly this
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

 

[Rillowen]

It appears to be pretty dry while also having ventilation. Has almost no smell for how old it is.

I meant ventilation for the chick poo. It makes alot of ammonia gas, a well sealed coop can suffocate the birds, or even explode if there is a heat lamp.
Many people put in entire screen windows away from the wind side that just always stay open, or have a large section of wall with nothing but hardware screen. Once they get feathers they dont need shelter for heat, just from direct wind, wet and predators.

 

[Rillowen]

It looks like it could turn into an amazing coop!