Is the coop secure yet? Sometimes pictures help us to make decisions. Would your dog crate be secure enough against predators? I never like to put chicks out in a cold coop until 6 weeks old, and then I hang a heat lamp just in case any feel the need to get under it. Do you have a garage or basement, or another coop that you can put chicks inside the crate in, protected from larger birds? How many chicks total?