Anyone use a puppy pen as a brooder?

[SamCO]

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.

 

[bgarwick]

I use a 4x4 Intex kiddie pool. My dog ate my first hatch so I added a baby play pen around the pool and an extra lock on the door (he popped it open in the middle of the night). It will be warm enough with the brooder by itself. But in my experience, they will outgrow this space in a matter of weeks. I would not recommend cardboard as they are going to soak whatever their water is under. Maybe a tarp or something plastic in nature.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I think that'll work well. I agree that ia plastic floor covering would be better than cardboard. Chicks will spill their water and make wet poop that will make a mess of cardboard. I used puppy pads under pine shavings with my FILTHY ducklings. They worked great! I don't think the size will be too much of a problem, honestly - esp for 6 chicks. It's about 12 sq ft of space. I brooded 4 in a smaller area without any problems. It won't do much to keep out dogs, though, if it's determined.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Congratulations and welcome to BYC! I'm sorry to say I don't think that looks substantial enough to protect your baby chicks from either cat or dog if the door to the brooder is left open and the cat or dog should get in. Your chicks will also be a bit crowded by about three weeks, so you'll need something bigger by then. You might put the waterer in something like an aluminum pie plate to help control spills. And finally, we used puppy training pads on the bottom of our brooders for easy clean up. Every evening we turned off the light,* which calmed them, and by flashlight we removed the chicks to a cardboard box and checked them for pasty butt. With them out of the brooder we removed and replaced the puppy pee pads and removed the food and water. Then we put the chicks back in the brooder for the night. In the morning we put the feed and water back in and turned the light back on. Easy peasy!

*We had two heat lamps with ceramic housing, a red one for night and a white one for days, which we just turned on and off as needed. We also used plastic storage bins with modified lids as our brooders. Each one holds about 8 chicks up to about 3 weeks of age.

Good luck!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I really don't think the size will be a problem. I think the pic is deceptive. This is the same area as a 3' x 4' brooder.

Here's a thread where someone talks about using one of these. It mentions having a problem with dust:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/puppy-pen-brooder.1446744/

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Congratulations and welcome to BYC! I'm sorry to say I don't think that looks substantial enough to protect your baby chicks from either cat or dog if the door to the brooder is left open and the cat or dog should get in. Your chicks will also be a bit crowded by about three weeks, so you'll need something bigger by then. You might put the waterer in something like an aluminum pie plate to help control spills. And finally, we used puppy training pads on the bottom of our brooders for easy clean up. Every evening we turned off the light,* which calmed them, and by flashlight we removed the chicks to a cardboard box and checked them for pasty butt. With them out of the brooder we removed and replaced the puppy pee pads and removed the food and water. Then we put the chicks back in the brooder for the night. In the morning we put the feed and water back in and turned the light back on. Easy peasy!

*We had two heat lamps with ceramic housing, a red one for night and a white one for days, which we just turned on and off as needed. We also used plastic storage bins with modified lids as our brooders. Each one holds about 8 chicks up to about 3 weeks of age.

Good luck!

A caveat: I have to say, I notice you have a mother hen type warmer so you don't need to use heat lamps and that's great! There have been WAY too many stories of fires caused by heat lamps for me to recommend them. We use them with EXTREME caution.

 

[SamCO]

I don’t plan on using the pen to keep dogs and cats out. Obviously if they were determined, they could get through it. They will be in a room with a closed door, and probably moved to the garage once they’re a little older. The diameter is fairly large, bigger than a Plastic tote or dog kennel (which were the other options I looked at.) the brooder plate is a 16 inch one, and that is a two gallon waterer. Good idea on putting the waterer in a pan. I have some large plant saucers that would probably work great. I’ll also put plastic underneath the whole thing and maybe use puppy pads under the shavings. Thanks for the input and the link to the other post about using this type of pen.

 

[Opiumbrella]

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.

I use them every time I have babies in the house. I just put shavings in them, or potty pads. But they are waterproof and you can just spray them out when you need. In fact I have an extra large one with a 6lb sapphire gem rock hen in it as we speak. Lol. (She is moving out soon, she was born in October and has up until recently had some health issues)
I also use them a hospital for sick or injured chickens as well.
I love these for chickens.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I use them every time I have babies in the house. I just put shavings in them, or potty pads. But they are waterproof and you can just spray them out when you need. In fact I have an extra large one with a 6lb sapphire gem rock hen in it as we speak. Lol. (She is moving out soon, she was born in October and has up until recently had some health issues)
I also use them a hospital for sick or injured chickens as well.
I love these for chickens.

That sounds awesome! I didn't know they were that waterproof!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I use them every time I have babies in the house. I just put shavings in them, or potty pads. But they are waterproof and you can just spray them out when you need. In fact I have an extra large one with a 6lb sapphire gem rock hen in it as we speak. Lol. (She is moving out soon, she was born in October and has up until recently had some health issues)
I also use them a hospital for sick or injured chickens as well.
I love these for chickens.

Well shoot! I may have to get one for a hen hospital too, then! Looks a lot more convenient than reaching through the side gate of a dog crate! Thanks for the testimonial! OP, see what you've started!