Pack 'n Play Brooder

[peachRN]

Has anyone use an old pack 'n play or playpen as a brooder? How did you cover it to avoid flyaways? We are done having babies and we have an old pack 'n play that we want to use. No sense in going out and buying a brand new brooder or building one if we can use what we already have.

We're planning on getting around 8 chicks (so realistically it'll be more like 12-14, let's be real) and we already have a heat plate for them. How many chicks did you comfortably fit in your playpen brooder?

 

[MommyGirl]

I’ve used a pack and play before and you could cover the top with a sheet to keep them from flying out the top! Only if you don’t have cats if you do then something else for a top

 

[Juliebanks84]

I’ve used a pack and play before and you could cover the top with a sheet to keep them from flying out the top! Only if you don’t have cats if you do then something else for a top

Er did this and my chicks where all grouped up trying see light I think they have a heat brooder so they have heat should I get some chicken wire for top or will sheet be ok and when can we move to coop there 4 weeks the blast puck was when we first got before we put a sheet

 

[MommyGirl]

Er did this and my chicks where all grouped up trying see light I think they have a heat brooder so they have heat should I get some chicken wire for top or will sheet be ok and when can we move to coop there 4 weeks the blast puck was when we first got before we put a sheet

When I cover with sheet I always clip the sheet onto playpen with atleast front side not draped over blocking their view, light and airflow. You can even clip it to have 2 sides open if needed. As for when they can go to coop I guess that depends on your temperatures and if you going to provide any heat for outside. But at 4 weeks they should be very close to being ready to go out.

 

[Midnight Maran Momma]

I have a similar playpen (48" x 48") but we're only getting three less than a week old chicks from a local breeder to add to our flock. Out setup is in our sunroom, which gets cool at night in Virginia at this time of year. With three walls in that room being all windows (albeit covered with blackout curtains), I'm wondering if I'll be needing a second heat plate? My plan is to have a piece of linoleum across the bottom with puppy pads over it, changing them out as needed. After maybe three to four days, I'll add pine shavings over the pads.
Should I have cardboard underneath & around the outside of the playpen, to help insulate it a little more from the cool?

I'm planning on putting a piece of hardware cloth across the top, screwed into a wooden frame with a cross piece in the center (we have a Very tall dog who ignored the last batch of chicks we had until they were full grown and chase worthy, but now he just sits outside their run and grumbles).