No. I am assuming the top would be open and you wouldn't allow the bedding to get smelly.

If you have some source of heat in there, as I assume you will for brooding, then convection currents will draw in fresher air - heat rises and cold sinks.... If you are really worried, then set up a chimney of some kind - a wrapping paper roll suspended so it sits vertically, with one end about an inch or so (so chicks can't squeeze under it) above the bottom should work, to allow for a more direct exchange.

Ought to work fine, many people use water troughs as chick brooders including such places as Tractor Supply and feed mills. They run many more per trough, like 50-100.

I've been thinking about dividing this space into two parts and brooding eight chickens in one half and in the other half, six ducklings and two goslings. But maybe that's getting too tight for everyone?

An alternative is to put the chicks in a large carton and the waterfowl in the trough.

--Jonathan