Coop for brooding house

[NewChickenMom0711]

First time chicken AND duck owner, I was convinced to get them Friday evening by my husband & daughter (for the record I’m TERRIFIED of birds). The brooding box with the heat lamp current has 4 chicks & 2 runner ducklings in it & is taking up residence in MY bathroom since we can keep our 2 cats out of it & the plug is a GFI. My husband has ordered a coop from Tractor Supply, it will be here Thursday. Once they are able to roam we’re going to add an additional running space for them plus a corner for the ducks to have a pool.

In the meantime until they can be released, can we use the full coop as a brooding box since it appears to be fully secure? I’ve ordered a warmer plate that will be here tomorrow. I’m fully prepared to change the bedding out daily & all the stuff I’m currently doing for their box, I’m just concerned that the ducks are about to outgrow their space in here, plus make a wet mess (again) & I don’t have the space for ANYTHING else in my bathroom.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yes you can brood outdoors as long as the ambient outdoor temperatures meet any minimums specified on the plate instructions.

 

[nuthatched]

I'd return the coop to Tractor Supply and build one. Prefab coops are too small, expensive and horrible.

 

[NewChickenMom0711]

I'd return the coop to Tractor Supply and build one. Prefab coops are too small, expensive and horrible.

Unfortunately that’s not an option for us right now. My husband works out of state & cannot come home every weekend. This will be quick & easy for him to build on the time he does have at home. We’ve got to go with what options work for us. The one we picked out is large enough for 6-8 chickens.

 

[NewChickenMom0711]

Yes you can brood outdoors as long as the ambient outdoor temperatures meet any minimums specified on the plate instructions.

Thank you! I’m in central Alabama so hopefully things are warming up quickly. I’m so overly worried about a fire or I would put the heat lamp out there. Would a regular heating pad do better than the plate & be as safe? We’re using large pine shavings for their ground layer.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Editing for clarity: I forget to mention... I have never had ducklings, so the advice below is strictly for chicks. I know there's a few differences in diet and water needs, but I believe ducks need more space than chickens?

Would a regular heating pad do better than the plate & be as safe? We’re using large pine shavings for their ground layer.

A heating pad works fine as long as it does NOT have an auto shut off (so it runs 24/7 nonstop). There's a very large thread detailing how you can set one up: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/ but everyone has their own approach (i.e. I don't do a cave shape, mine's "upside down").

The one we picked out is large enough for 6-8 chickens.

Can you link the one you ordered? Be aware that the manufacturer claims are grossly exaggerated and the reality is once the birds are older you will likely need to build something larger or rehome some birds. As a minimum recommendation on here, per standard sized bird you want 4 sq ft in the coop and 10 sq ft in the run, with 10-12" of roost, 1 sq ft of ventilation in moderate temperatures and 1 nest per 3-4 hens.

Some flocks will tolerate tighter confines but some will need more than the above minimums. Behavioral issues may be difficult to fix if they arise.

One possibility to be able to use what you already purchased is to convert what is likely a tiny coop and tiny run into a larger coop, if you can provide run space outside that for daytime use.

 

[NewChickenMom0711]

Editing for clarity: I forget to mention... I have never had ducklings, so the advice below is strictly for chicks. I know there's a few differences in diet and water needs, but I believe ducks need more space than chickens?


A heating pad works fine as long as it does NOT have an auto shut off (so it runs 24/7 nonstop). There's a very large thread detailing how you can set one up: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/ but everyone has their own approach (i.e. I don't do a cave shape, mine's "upside down").


Can you link the one you ordered? Be aware that the manufacturer claims are grossly exaggerated and the reality is once the birds are older you will likely need to build something larger or rehome some birds. As a minimum recommendation on here, per standard sized bird you want 4 sq ft in the coop and 10 sq ft in the run, with 10-12" of roost, 1 sq ft of ventilation in moderate temperatures and 1 nest per 3-4 hens.

Some flocks will tolerate tighter confines but some will need more than the above minimums. Behavioral issues may be difficult to fix if they arise.

One possibility to be able to use what you already purchased is to convert what is likely a tiny coop and tiny run into a larger coop, if you can provide run space outside that for daytime use.

Here is the link to the coop https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-prairie-coop-cedar-6-8-chicken. Once they’re allowed to roam outside the coop they will have a much larger run that will also allow the ducks space to have a pool, unfortunately I can’t find the link.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Here is the link to the coop https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-prairie-coop-cedar-6-8-chicken. Once they’re allowed to roam outside the coop they will have a much larger run that will also allow the ducks space to have a pool, unfortunately I can’t find the link.

Thank you, I haven't seen this one before. So the actual coop size looks to be 53" x 56" (115" total - 59" for the run) so around 20.6 sq ft, assuming the nest boxes aren't included in the length measurement. So coopwise that's about enough space for 5, maybe 6 chickens. So maybe if you add a 2nd coop for the ducks, like I've seen people use dog houses for that, you might be able to get away with not having to reduce flock size.

It is woefully underventilated for a hot climate though - I'd strongly suggest roofing the run portion and then replacing most of the coop wall facing into the mini run with wire mesh, or even leaving it open entirely.