Yes, I've read here of people using them as a brooder. They would work great! Just put shavings in it and when they are older, you'll want a cover over the top so they can't fly out. Might be a tad of a pain to clean though.
I'm sure it would work great, depending how many chick you put in there. I personally use a xlarge wire dog kennel. I have 4 cats and 2 dogs, so I needed a secure area.