Chicks and brooding lamp

[Chicka doo]

I recently had my last two chickens eviscerated by some critter, so I'm thinking I want to get some chicks and start over. It's been a while since I had chicks. A couple of questions. How long do I have to keep them indoors? I live in Texas, so it's still pretty warm. How long do I have to keep them under a brooding lamp? I will resecure my coop before I turn them loose. Any advice would be welcome.

 

[DobieLover]

I only brood in the coop. Using a brooder plate. It's much healthier for all involved and no mess in the house.
The supplemental heat is pulled when the chicks are fully feathered or when they stop using it.

 

[Chicka doo]

I only brood in the coop. Using a brooder plate. It's much healthier for all involved and no mess in the house.
The supplemental heat is pulled when the chicks are fully feathered or when they stop using it.

I am not familiar with brooder plate.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I am not familiar with brooder plate.

You can buy commercial heat plates for brooding or make your own ("mama heating pad").

This is how I set up my brooder (outdoors) and how I make my heating pad set up: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/ If you'd like to brood in your coop, you may need to restrict the chicks to just one part of it to start, depending on how big it is, so that they don't get too far from food and heat the first few days.

 

[NatJ]

How long do I have to keep them indoors? I live in Texas, so it's still pretty warm. How long do I have to keep them under a brooding lamp?

You can brood them in the coop (so not "indoors" in your house at all).

I see other people have already mentioned brooder plates. Or you can use a heat lamp in the coop. But be very careful that a heat lamp does not get knocked down and start a fire. You would not want that to happen anywhere (in your coop or in your house.)

Whether you use a heat lamp or a brooder plate, the chicks need one warm area, big enough for them to all sleep at once. The entire rest of the space should be unheated. At first they will hang out close to the heat, but soon they will be running around and playing, and any time they get cold they will come back to the warm place to warm up.

I will resecure my coop before I turn them loose.

Definitely a good idea!