Dark communal nest

[Temp]

First off hi to everyone on this great forum, I have lurked around here quite a bit and thought it was time to join.
I am getting ready to build some nest boxes for my 12 pullets. When I was growing up in the 50's my grandparents kept around 50 layers on their small dairy farm. The hen house was a old UVM extension service plan for floor birds. The nest box was perhaps 12 feet long and only had a opening in each end just large enough for a hen to enter and the sloped top was hinged to facilitate collecting eggs. I have never seen another one like it or plans for one. Just wondering if anyone else has had experience with a similar communal nest box and how it work out for you. I am thinking of building one similar for my birds if for nothing more than nostalgia.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think community nests are fine but rather than an opening at each end, I'd have one long side open with a sufficient lip along the bottom.

Welcome.

 

[Temp]

I am wondering if some of the reasoning for keeping the nest box somewhat dark was to discourage egg eating. I don't recall it being a problem or even being discussed and I made many trips with gram to help collect eggs. I don't even recall but a very few broken eggs.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think a dark nest would limit egg eating but having to travel through a long nest would make breaking eggs more likely.

 

[Temp]

I guess my description was somewhat incomplete. The box was quite wide and there was a board that held the nest material into the rear portion of the nest and the front portion had no bedding to speak of and served as a walk way for the birds. This walk way lined up with the openings on the ends, I suppose it is the birds natural instinct to walk toward the light.

 

[Temp]

Thought I would post a update on my nest box decision. I went ahead and built a communal nest box. It is attached to the side of the coop so eggs can be collected from outside. It is 4 feet wide x 14" x 14" and has just one entrance in the center approx 10"x10". The pullets are just starting to lay and so far are using both ends of the box with the right end being the favorite. I will post some pictures in a few days and update one how it is working.

 

[aart]

I would love to see pics and hear an ongoing update!

 

[Temp]

OK here it is. I would have preferred to have had the top open rather than the sides but my hen house is a repurposed garden shed and does not have enough overhang at the eves to protect my nest box. It is a metal roof and we get a lot of snow in the winter so the top of the nest will be covered in snow most of the time.

 

[Temp]

Just an update my 12 birds are now laying 6-8 eggs/day they are all using the nest no problem with most of them ending up in the same spot in the right end. I am convinced that there is no real advantage to individual nest boxes unless you want a roll away nest to prevent egg eating. I also think the dark nest helps to prevent egg eating.

 

[aart]

Cool Beans.....Chicken Beans!