When to move chicks to coop- in Michigan

[rosemarythyme]

Since you didn't mention your location, unless you are in an extremely cold environment, you will not need to heat your coop for winter.

The heating pad mentioned was for brooding chicks outdoors. It would not apply to teen or adult birds.

 

[muddy75]

a portion of my shed has been turned into a brooding area! my baby brooder is a large rubbermaid type utility box on a utility table. I also set up a dog playpen next to it for turkey poults and/or chicks once they outgrow the brooder but are still too young to move outside full time. I moved my first batch out to their coop at around 4 weeks old when the coop was complete. The turkeys just went outside to their new house this week at 4-5 weeks old but still have indoor area ready to put them back up if the forecasted “hurricane” storms hit this week. The 15 silkie babies are 1 week old today and comfortable in the box for a few more weeks (guessing they will be big enough to transition to the playpen at 4-6 weeks when the turkeys are outside full time!). will have to judge based on the weather when to transition the silkies to the coop.

 

[Chickadooo]

Since you didn't mention your location, unless you are in an extremely cold environment, you will not need to heat your coop for winter.

The heating pad mentioned was for brooding chicks outdoors. It would not apply to teen or adult birds.

The title says I'm in Michigan

 

[wyoDreamer]

The Mama Heating Pad is only for raising chicks. My chicks didn't need any heat after about 4 weeks - actually, I removed it at 4 weeks, they were sleeping on top of it for a while before I removed the heating pad.
I am not sure how to link to a thread, but here is the information I copied for it:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update
It has gotten to be a very long thread; but really, the first post with all the pictures tells the whole story. The most important thing is to buy a heating pad that allows you to turn OFF the automatic timer. It needs to stay on all the time. My heating pads have lasted 3 years so far.
You do not need to heat your coop. Chickens can handle cold better than extreme heat. The key is to build a coop with enough ventilation to allow the warm moist air to leave the building - put ventilation high in the coop, making sure it is above the roosting level of the birds. BUT, you don't want it too drafty. Wind blowing snow through the coop will cause problems.
My coop is the small concrete room between the barn and the silo. No kidding, 4 concrete block walls and a concrete ceiling. 2 sides are buried, one wall is the barn wall, and the 4th has a ramp system and chicken door in the window opening. we recently built a roof over the window/ramp system and the chickens love to site on the "porch" during the heat of the day.

 

[cmom]

Your chicks will be ok. I have used melon boxes to brood in. My first coop wasn't built until the chicks were 4 months old and the nest boxes were added just a few days before I got my first egg. Everything worked out well.
This is my chick brooder

This is a melon box. I had in my garage and would put a heat lamp on at night when it was cooler out.

 

[FnWeirdo]

hello chickadoo, are you in the up? or the lower part of mi? i ask this because I'm in the up and it does get mighty cold up here in the winter. my coop is insulated because of this and i will be stacking hay on the outside walls.. not inside because it can breed nasty things XD. btw i brood my chickens in my garage as well, i have a big 24 sq foot brood box i built with scrap pieces of wood and hardware cloth. some people heat there coops out here but only supplementally ( but if you don't care about eggs in the winter and have a cold hardy breed its not needed). sorry if i missed this but how old are the chicks now? i ask because i got a few late this year in my brooder and I'm worried i might have to keep them in my heated barn this year cause they might not molt in time. and its already getting pretty chilly.

 

[Chickadooo]

hello chickadoo, are you in the up? or the lower part of mi? i ask this because I'm in the up and it does get mighty cold up here in the winter. my coop is insulated because of this and i will be stacking hay on the outside walls.. not inside because it can breed nasty things XD. btw i brood my chickens in my garage as well, i have a big 24 sq foot brood box i built with scrap pieces of wood and hardware cloth. some people heat there coops out here but only supplementally ( but if you don't care about eggs in the winter and have a cold hardy breed its not needed). sorry if i missed this but how old are the chicks now? i ask because i got a few late this year in my brooder and I'm worried i might have to keep them in my heated barn this year cause they might not molt in time. and its already getting pretty chilly.

I'm in the lower peninsula. They are close to 3 weeks and 1.5 weeks, give or take. Do chickens really not need any heat source in winter unless it's freezing? I only have 10 chicks, but my coop is huuuge for 10. It's well insulated, so I think. And why is hay not a good idea for the inside of the coop?

 

[FnWeirdo]

you can use hay in your coop as a litter but hay breeds bacteria and such. when your using it as a litter you'll be cleaning it turning it and ect. stacking them means stationary, they absorb all the moisture and make a breeding ground sitting still in stacks which is why i stack them on the outside. about the cold, yes chickens handle the cold very well, insulated coop with no drafts and plenty of ventilation and they will be very cozy and warm together. each chicken will generate a good amount of heat and they all squeeze together on there roost to keep a good heat bubble. you do need to watch the combs and feet though. chickens can do well in freezing weather as well as long as its a cold hardy breed.
edit-
the most important thing in winter is a dry well ventilated no draft coop

 

[Chickadooo]

you can use hay in your coop as a litter but hay breeds bacteria and such. when your using it as a litter you'll be cleaning it turning it and ect. stacking them means stationary, they absorb all the moisture and make a breeding ground sitting still in stacks which is why i stack them on the outside. about the cold, yes chickens handle the cold very well, insulated coop with no drafts and plenty of ventilation and they will be very cozy and warm together. each chicken will generate a good amount of heat and they all squeeze together on there roost to keep a good heat bubble. you do need to watch the combs and feet though. chickens can do well in freezing weather as well as long as its a cold hardy breed.
edit-
the most important thing in winter is a dry well ventilated no draft coop

I'm worried about the ventilation.. we are just using an added on section of our detached storage garage.. I'm not sure how to determine if it will be well ventilated, and if it's not how will I know and how would I fix it? I'm a huge worry wart. I've got 3 buff orpington, 3 cinnamon queen, and 4 barred rock. Would it be silly to keep a heat source in there even if it's not really needed?

 

[Chickadooo]

Your chicks will be ok. I have used melon boxes to brood in. My first coop wasn't built until the chicks were 4 months old and the nest boxes were added just a few days before I got my first egg. Everything worked out well.
This is my chick brooder

View attachment 1526602
This is a melon box. I had in my garage and would put a heat lamp on at night when it was cooler out. View attachment 1526605

Right now with my heat lamp (it's not directly shining in the box) it's about 82-84 degrees, but they all seem comfortable.. They aren't avoiding the warmest area, they seem to be spread out. I'm surprised the older chicks, the ones that are already feathering, want to be so warm.