Dog Crate at night?

[NellaBean]

Can you keep a pair of chickens in a large dog crate at night? Cover the door and "vent' with hardware cloth? No idea if this would be workable or predator proof or not. Trying to find a temporary solution for a pair of 16 week olds, that can be kept in their "pen".

 

[pamperedpoultry]

We have a pair of Gold Laced cochins that free range during the day, they go into a large dog crate at night and we shut the door. So far no problems, but we do have 3 dogs in the yard. So they sorta protect the chickens

By the way what part of East TN are you in.. I'm not far from the tn/va Bristol border

 

[NellaBean]

I am in the West Knoxville/Loudon area.

I have been bringing my two in and out of their "day pen" to an area in my garage....for 3 months

I am trying to find a way to give them an "easy" coop within a larger pen. i can't take "herding" them across the yard anymore. The Roo would not go in the pen today, so I locked his girl in and left him out..........then a bad storm hit and I look out and he is in the rain next to the pen totally drenched. Today will be the last time I run in a downpour, in my work clothes, down the hill and chase a rooster around a pen a few times to get him in there. He needs a night area WITHIN a pen, so I only have to "let him out" and "lock him up".

Thanks for the info.

 

[Nana2KJS]

We got our run built way ahead of the coop. I put 5 buff orpingtons in a dog crate for a couple weeks. I turned the top around and put hardware cloth on the back opening and a door on the front opening. When it started getting really warm we just left the door open for airflow. A piece of 2x4 across the bottom half gave them a small roost. You can see it in the background here:

 

[Heelers&Chickens_OhMy]

Until I get my coop built my five 6 week old chicks are sharing a dog crate that is not big enough for them. It's worked fabulously so far and I would continue if the crate was big enough and the chicks stayed small!!

If you count an over excited 2 year old pit as a predator, then yes, it's predator proof

 

[WalkingWolf]

The eggloo is sort of a dog box/crate, and they probably got the idea from many urban backyard chicken owners that use dog crates for their chickens.