# Chick Brooder



## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

I have a question about chicks again.
We have a dog cage that we never use, and it is pretty big. It has bars close together enough so that the chicks could not escape, and there is a tray at the bottom. 
I was thinking of putting white poster boards in the sides and bottom (the bottom for easy cleaning). The poster boards on the sides would reflect the sunlight (95 degree heat) off the chicks, so that their heat lamp could do the job.
The dog cage bars on top make it easy to hang a heat lamp, too.
What do you think? Should I use something else or is this dog crate fine?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

You will be fine with that setup! I normally put the heat lamp at one end so they can get out of the heat a bit. I have always used a dog cage of somesort.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

seminolewind said:


> You will be fine with that setup! I normally put the heat lamp at one end so they can get out of the heat a bit. I have always used a dog cage of some sort.


Thank you! I was planning on placing the heat lamp at one end also.


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## IncubatorWarehouse (Nov 28, 2016)

Sounds like a very good set up to me. Just make sure whatever you have underneath your chicks is not smooth in order to avoid any issues with their mobility.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

He's talking about using newspaper in the brooder.It is slick and chicks have trouble walking on it and it could cause leg problems.The best bedding is PINE shavings...


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> He's talking about using newspaper in the brooder.It is slick and chicks have trouble walking on it and it could cause leg problems.The best bedding is PINE shavings...


OK! I was planning on buying pine shavings.


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## chickenlover11668 (May 9, 2017)

I put a plastic tub inside the dogcage. I just set the heat lamp on top of the cage.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

chickenlover11668 said:


> I put a plastic tub inside the dogcage. I just set the heat lamp on top of the cage.


Wow, thanks! I didn't think of that before. I will definitely use that.


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