Brooder in the coop?

[Jstaz]

I have not been able to find answers I am looking for in the search so I'll try posting. I am currently planning a new coop/run build and getting chicks for the first time. I wanted to build a brooder in the coop with the adults to keep everything in one area. I would have the chicks completely enclosed and planned to slant a roof so the adults wont get on top of the brooder. My thought is they chick will easier transition to the coop flock when the time comes as well. Any suggestions on this? Keep chicks out of coop? Is it ok to have them in there? The brooder would be away from nests and roosts.

 

[MadGardener]

I've read several accounts of members doing this successfully. I plan to do the same in my new coop build, with a brooder/isolation pen beneath a poop board.

 

[azygous]

This is a perfectly splendid idea. In fact, many of us have done away with traditional brooders completely and brood right in your coops or runs in a dedicated brooder pen. It certainly does take care of the integration issue.

My brooder pen takes up around 18 square feet in a corner of my enclosed run. I like having it in the run since the flock spends most of the time in the run and the chicks receive maximum exposure to them. By age two to three weeks, my chicks are allowed access to the rest of the run via a couple of chick size openings. This provides safety for the chicks while they are adjusting to the pecking order.

 

[AlicesEggstaurant]

I have also done this successfully, though in a much less impressive way than @azygous ! That is probably the best way to do it! My baby chicks were in a corner of the coop for about 6 or 8 weeks, and then they went out into the flock and definitely took some time to adjust to the pecking order. I have 25 eggs in the incubator and hope to do something more like @azygous 's setup in my coop for when they hatch! I found that it really made a positive difference when the rest of the flock could see them and smell them throughout their youth.

 

[Mamatomany123]

I brood mine in the coop. It's always made transition way easier. This is what I use. Was super easy to put together and in sight of the big girls. Once it's time to transition them I open a small opening on the bottom that only the chicks can fit through.

 

[Poodlemum]

Echoing everyone here, it’s a great idea! We’re setting up our second coop to have a permanent brooding/integration area as well

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have my brooder in the run but coop is probably preferable due to draft protection, climate protection and predator protection. Advantages in brooding in the run would be 1) more space to use, 2) the chicks have much more exposure to the flock as the adults are in the run most of the day (vs the coop), 3) potentially easier clean up, as I have the brooder sitting directly on the run's deep litter so I don't ever clean it out, I simply move it when I need "clean" bedding.