lockable exterior-access nest box design?

[Caju]

Chieftain and American Canyon Stables: Your coops are beautiful! Thank you so much for posting the pics! ACS: I like your idea of attaching it under the lip. Chieftain: can you post another picture after you attach yours?

Black Bart: What are spring hooks? Can you post a picture?

Tnchickenut: It definitely seems easier to do a back-wall nest opening vs. the top opening and it would have the advantage of being easier to clean out. But I don't want to have to bend over or squat down to look into the nest. I guess I also just have really fond memories of the chicken coop we had when I was a kid and what fun it was to lift the lid and look down into the nest (or onto a chicken).

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice! I have lots to think about!

 

[AmCanyonStables]

Here is how it will be, looking down at the chicken. As you can see, she is not very happy about it!

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Don't take my egg!

 

[Caju]

Great picture! How big are the dimensions on your boxes? And what type of chicken is that?

 

[4estgump]

Caju,
Hope this helps. It is 3ft long, 2ft high, Has 3 nests. I built this when my hens got close to laying. I only have 2 hens and 1 roo.
4estgump

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/28023_ron_558.jpg[/img]

 

[AmCanyonStables]

My nest box is 5 feet long, 1 foot high in front, 16 inches in back, , and 1 foot deep (back to front). There are 5 nest areas. It was build separately and slid into the opening the width of a 2x4. A bit hard to do as it must be a tight fit.
The chicken is a hatchery americauna, in other words, an EE. You can tell she is not a true Americauna from the comb, and that she does not have muffs and beard. I got seven of these, some are more bearded and muffed, and they have various types of combs. Some lay buff colored eggs, some light green, one dark green, and one light blue. I also have Barred Rocks - great production!

 

[bigoakhunter]

Lots of good info! If you look at my BYC page there are several pictures of the nestbox. The 2nd picture shows the hasp, up close. I like the hasps were the part that goes through them turns sideways. This gives another layer of protection.

Good luck , Dave

 

[BlackBart]

Black Bart: What are spring hooks? Can you post a picture?

The one on the left.
I call them spring hooks because that is what the person who told me to use them calls them. They are mostly used on gates etc. so children can't open them. I found some fairly big ones and they work great.
My access doors open from the top down and I use toggles to keep them closed tight and then use the spring hooks to make sure nothing can get in.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
I use the kind of carabiner which has the little screw bit, that moves up or down to create the opening, not the spring hook type. No raccoon paw can manipulate the screw/unscrew part. Sometimes *I* have trouble with it - must take my gloves off, for sure.