I used an extra large dog crate and lined it with cardboard so that the chicks couldn't get out between the bars when they were tiny. The cardboard also helped contain the dust, a bit. It's easy to hang things from the top of the crate too, like the feeder and waterer and a shiny toy to peck at.That is a great idea, I have an old dog crate I could use or I could even use one of our old baby gates!
I used a dowel, slid through the side bars as a "teaching roost" when they were about 3 weeks old. At first it was on the bedding, then up on the lowest cross bar, then on the second bar. It was fun to watch them figure out how to jump up on it.