I got some chicks about 3 weeks ago and this is my first time owning some but I am worried as to how they will survive winter ;( I have not made a coop yet because I am still struggling as to what I will do to make sure they are warm, and where to put the heating lamp! Someone please help me!!
Your timing is good. They will be off of heat by October 1st and ready to head out to the coop full time. You will do fine without power in the coop if you have to but it is nice to have lights when it gets dark at 4 and have electricity to run a deicer for their waterer. Not the end of the world if you have to bring it in the house at night (they don't drink at night anyway) but it does make your life easier. You don't need to be concerned about them getting cold at night. Keep them dry and out of a draft, bed the floor with straw or shavings that will provide insulation from the ground. Build the coop bigger than you think you need as they will spend a lot of time inside when there is snow on the ground. That you can get more chicks come spring,
How hot is it there? At the temperatures we're having in Ohio, mid to high 80's during the day, your chicks don't need a heat lamp during the day. If you are worried about it, hang it high and well over to one side so they can get out from under the lights. Chicks can die from high temps, too. They may want to stay out from under the light during the day and sleep under it at night. By the time they are fully feathered, they won't need a heat lamp at all, even during most of the winter--unless it gets below 20 below zero. Chickens carry their down winter coats with them. Just as you would not want to go inside your heated house and not be able to take your coat off in the winter, the chickens will do better with an unheated coop. As long as your coop is free from drafts and has good ventilation, they will be fine. Electricity to power a light and a water deicer is very nice, as are large windows (which gives you that ventilation). Look in the coop building threads and in the BYC Learning Center for lots of coop designs. Good luck. Chicks are much tougher than they look.
I agree... Living in the UK up north I don't know what I'd do without electricity running to my coop. It's dark by 4pm here to, we see about 8 hours of daylight in the winter. Lighting is almost a must, otherwise it will be a pain. Plus I like to look at my little precious's