Is the bottom half of a dog crate just a stupid place to brood chicks

[skatcatla]

I'm trying to think of options so I don't have to buy a new cage just for the few weeks my chicks will need. I have a large dog crate, one of those plastic air-travel ones. Would the bottom half with a lamp clipped on and the water and food bottles work well do you think?

 

[Barb Schuetz]

Absolutely! Just make sure it's clean, and you'll want to close up the open side.

 

[skatcatla]

Awesome thanks! And by that, do you mean the front gate or the top? They wouldn't be able to get out the top of a 3 ft high crate would they?

 

[arwmommy]

Hi, I started the brooder thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6233

and as you will see, my babies were brooded in a Large dog crate. FYI, as they needed less and less heat, I just turned the heat lamp to the side more and more, so it was less directly going into the crate. It worked great and at 4 weeks we did away with the light (but they are in my living room, not outside!).

Good luck, it has worked out great for us!

 

[skatcatla]

arwmommy thank you that's PERFECT!

One question, how do you know when they need less heat? Do they just back away from the lamp? Or is it a certain age thing?

 

[arwmommy]

As newborns they need to be at 95 degrees. (Put a thermometer in so you know what the temp inside is). Lower the temp by 5 degrees each week.

Check out this site for tons of info http://www.mypetchicken.com/ebook.aspx

also the book Storey's Guide to Chickens.

Good Luck!

 

[Patch&Phoebe]

Hi, we used a vari-kennel plastic dog crate, eventually moving the lamp outside the crate so they could get closer or farther fr the heat of it as desired. Worked very well for us. Good Luck!

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

My rule of thumb is "If it looks silly but works it's not silly"

 

[jimnjay]

With my first batch of chicks I used the Xlarge dog crate we already had. I left it intack top and gate. I mounted the light on a five gal bucket in front of the gate and moved it back gradually. The will move away from the heat if they are to hot.

The next time I just shoved the opening side against the wall and used the bottom alone with the light suspended from my cabinet handle that is in the laundry room. Either way it works like a charm. My dog crate has weels so it is ultra easy to take out and clean outside.

 

[skatcatla]

Thanks everyone! I'll post photos when I get mine going. ;-D