Anyone use a puppy pen as a brooder?

[wendelin39]

Hi all,

This is my first post, and in a few weeks our family will be picking out 6-8 chicks to raise until they are old enough to go into the coop outside (still in the planning phase.) I purchased a 48 inch puppy pen to use as a brooder inside an extra bedroom and am hoping the mesh will help keep the dust down a bit and keep the cats and dogs out as a backup in case the door to the room gets left open. Has anyone used something like this? If so, do you put a lining of cardboard on the bottom to help protect the bottom of the pen? The bottom completely zips off so it should be easy to clean. Do you think it will be warm enough, or should I add some sort of box for them as well? The room is cool, but not cold. Perhaps about 65 degrees? My three kids and I are so excited to get our chicks, and want to do everything right.

Wow, I am planning nearly the same thing but as 'stage 2'. Depending on breed size, weather, who else was occupying coop and outer coop's hospitality, I've had to keep the new hatches inside as long as 9 weeks. And 5-6 would be relatively brief without much feather protection. The first couple of weeks or so they need lot of checking out (poopy butt) and sometimes bit of assist (water/food/ temperature checks). But during this time of more adjustments and care they are so so tiny. Well especially mine as I have bantams. So the good news is that those first weeks there isn't much dust and they mostly eating/sleeping. So accommodating them in my rabbit cages up on the table makes it easy as more eye level and easy to pick up and inspect, change out paper towel floor etc.
Rather its the later weeks that are most challenging. They looking to practice behaviors, flying , roosting and these rabbit cages get small fast. And the dust and then the water gets a mess .. So its at about 3-4 weeks that I'll probably transfer them into these larger pens. I'll set up a rooster bar and some step climbing thing or other. And by then the heating needs will be far lighter.

 

[SamCO]

As an update, we brooded two groups (14 total) in this pen. Worked amazing! put Them in this pen the day they came home, and they had no issues staying warm enough.

 

[bhaugh]

I have quail chicks in mine right now till they grow out enough to not be able to get through the bars. You’ll need to put something on the bottom though because unzipping it to clean is a huge hassle. Use pine shavings

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I just moved ours from a plastic bin to 4x4 dog pen in the coop. Didn't want to give them the whole coop because of night time temps. Looks like they will be getting the coop this week and have a choice of going out into the real world, 16x20 run for 5 chickens will be a big world for them. by Late April early May, hello free range. Our dog pen is the heavy wire type and I use it when I introduce younger chicks to the older birds setting it up in the center of the coop. As of now there is an 8 wk age difference. Intro will be in May.

 

[Rurumo]

I just moved ours from a plastic bin to 4x4 dog pen in the coop. Didn't want to give them the whole coop because of night time temps. Looks like they will be getting the coop this week and have a choice of going out into the real world, 16x20 run for 5 chickens will be a big world for them. by Late April early May, hello free range. Our dog pen is the heavy wire type and I use it when I introduce younger chicks to the older birds setting it up in the center of the coop. As of now there is an 8 wk age difference. Intro will be in May.

Sounds like you've got a nice setup for them!

 

[UrbanHenKW123]

As an update, we brooded two groups (14 total) in this pen. Worked amazing! put Them in this pen the day they came home, and they had no issues staying warm enough.

 

[UrbanHenKW123]

I’m wondering how long you kept them in here for. Was it good for their teenage weeks ? Week 3-6?