Dog crate brooder questions

[Back on the Farm]

My chicks are currently in a rubbermaid tub. They are quickly outgrowing their tub. I am going to move them to my dog crate this weekend. It is a large dog, metal crate. I was thinking of weaving strips of cardboard between the wire bars to keep them from getting caught or squeaking through and escaping. My question is about the bottom of the crate - it has a plastic tray, but it isn't very deep. It is too slippery and because it isn't very deep I can't get a deep enough layer of pine bedding to keep them from slipping.

Any ideas as to what I could use for the bottom of the crate to hold the pine bedding in?

Recommendations??? Tried and true solutions???

I was also thinking of adding a roost (putting the ends through the sides of the crate and tying it on) - thickness???

Thank you - just trying to keep up with my chicks

 

[emrys]

Non-slip shelf linner. It's the bumpy stuff. You can buy it by the roll. It wont shift on the slick plastic tray. You could cover that with paper towel for quick clean up rather than constant washing & drying.

 

[teach1rusl]

I cut really long strips of cardboard, approximately 8 inches wide, and wrapped it all around the inside of my dog crate. It can kind of be wedged down inside the tray. I punched a few holes and used bread twist ties in a few places (those plastic zip ties would work too) to keep it snug against the metal bars. Some bedding does get out the front door of mine, because I didn't do the cardboard in the front (other than the two inches or so on each side of the door). But it would be pretty easy to cardboard the front part too...

 

[Emmalion]

Here is what I did with mine.

Took some cardboard boxes and covered the interior of the crate. Used small ties to secure the board to the sides.
Used some netting I had around the farm to cover the front gate. Which also has a smaller cardboard liner.
Used some duct tape to secure the bottoms of the cardboard to the floor which is the plastic tray that came with the crate.

Used basic pine shavings for the bedding and I also added in a roost as you can see.

I don't have the chicks in yet because they haven't hatched.

Used the top of the crate to hang the light from.

 

[Nosaj]

We cut pieces of scrap plywood and tie-wrapped it to the inside of the cage, however I am sure that cardboard would be fine. You can see pictures of ours on the links below.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/dog-crate-brooder

 

[gapeach717]

this is a 42" crate we zip tied cardboard around. they love it and now have lots of room!!!

 

[tweetysvoice]

I did the same thing and put cardboard around (only not nearly as high up). My chickies are starting to use the sides of the cardboard to roost on, but at least it's keeping the shavings in, which was the point!