New rollout nest design Picture heavy-edited 1/21

[Opa]

Many of you have gotten my plans for a 2 unit rollout nest box and I have talked with several others about how to modify the plan to make it even larger. I have been using a box that has 6 nests and for the past year it has worked beautifully. Recently I have noticed several birds trying to pull eggs back inside their nest and even though it's hard to believe that they can reach under the partition to get the eggs, several birds have managed it and have turned into egg eaters. After much thought I have redesigned the nest box so that the eggs travel much further and hopefully this will eliminate their ability to get their head and neck far enough under the partition to reach the eggs.

The nest box shell view from chickens entrance side with partitions installed

Nest box shell view from access side

Egg ramp platform slotted to fit around partitions

Wedges to hold egg ramp 3 1/2" high

Egg ramp installed

Nestpads installed requires 2 per nest

View from nest to access area showing bumper (1/2" foam pipe cover split)

View showing bumper

Access side with back partitions installed with 2 1/4 gap above ramp

Nest entrance view with front installed edges of plywood trimmed

Where the previous design has a 12" ramp and the eggs were close to the partition sitting in a 4" tray section, the new ramp is 24" and the eggs wind up sitting 10" from the back partition. I've added a curtain to further discourage the birds from reaching under back partition. The curtain is made from rubber that I've slit.

Material list

2 sides - 3/4x24x36 2 bottoms - 3/4x24x36 1 top - 3/4x24x37 ½ Note: these pieces can be cut form one sheet of plywood
4 partitions - 3/4x14x17 ½ 2 ramp platforms - 1/4x24x36
12 ramp wedges - 3/4x3 1/2x24 cut tapering to 0
2 back stops - 3/4x3 1/2x37 ½ 1 bottom nest front - 3/4x5 ½ x37 1/2
1 top nest front - 3/4x7 1/4x37 ½ 2 back partitions - 1/4x14x36
2 trim board for edge of ply at top - 3/4x1 1/2x37 1/2
10? ¾ x ¾ use to cap plywood between nest fronts and access side back stops
3? ½ foam pipe insulation cut in half for bumpers
2 pieces of 4? rubber for curtain trap rubber between 2 pieces of 3/8x3/4x36 stapled together

 

[TheGeekySheep]

I thought I might post the SketchUp drawings I made based on Opa's design to build my 2-box rollout nest. I based it off 24"x24" plywood project panels. I think my incline might be a little steeper but it's worked beautifully. I also trimmed mine out with 1x2's (not shown in drawing) to make the edges neat.

 

[Opa]

CMV, I'm glad to help. Several people have said that I should have charged everyone for the plans, and given the number of folks I have sent plans to it would have resulted in a considerable amount of money. However, I don't think the money would have given me the satisfaction I have gotten trying to be the nicest old rooster people encounter. Hopefully everyone I have tried to help will pass it on.

 

[The Sheriff]

I built one! Not from scratch but I borrowed your ideas to convert this Martha Stewart bookcase into a 9 hole rear roll-out nest box.

A work in progress.

Here is the finished product from the front minus the nestpads:

I built the unit into a wall so I could remove the eggs without going into the coop. I couldn't extend the backs as far as you recommended because it would jut into entry from the barn.

And from the back with the nest pads in place:

I didn't make my slant as steep as yours. This coop will house Icelandics and they lay medium eggs so I figured the slant was adequate. I tested it with small and large eggs and they roll just great. I can't wait to try it with a real hen. We will be moving them into this new coop as soon as the automatic pop door arrives. I used lots of Gorilla Wood Glue so if I end up needing to modify it, there might be trouble!

I also made a matching bulk feeder out of a turned upside down wooden sawhorse!

So I wanted to thank you for sharing the instructions and pictures. It made the project fun and much easier! Hubby is very proud of me right now! I will post back later after the field testing commences.

 

[Opa]

I've had numerous people tell me that I am a fool for starting this thread and for constantly emailing the plans for the 2 nest box to countless people. They claim I would have been much smarter to have offered the plans for sale. With the number for folks asking for the 2 nest plans pushing 300, even a nominal fee would start to be a considerable chunk of change.

However, reading posts like the above post from chicken dad convinces me that I am much richer for having gone the way I have. Glad I've been able to help some folks.

 

[Opa]

The true measure of wealth isn't how much you have but how much you given away.

 

[ynaught]

Just a couple weeks ago we finally go to install the roll-out nest boxes we've planned and worked on so long.

We have 7 older hens about 4 years old, and about 20 youngsters who are just starting to lay.

When we installed the boxes (in the 3x3 hole we'd left in the wall), we removed the only two remaining nest boxes (the non-roll out, "muddy" ones) the same day. Imagine our surprise when the chickens dug themselves a nest in the litter on the floor and started laying in there! We tried several things, including putting "seed" eggs in the nests to give them the idea...

After nearly a week of this, we finally tried putting pine litter in the nests (knowing this would defeat the "roll-out") and they started laying in there THE NEXT DAY. It's been a week now, and they're still laying in it. We have allowed the pine litter to "flow" out the back of the nest box and are removing it from there.

Thanks for the plans, Opa. They saved us a lot of trial-and-error.

 

[Opa]

Tasmania sure is a long ways from Michigan. I just gave advice on nest building to the other side and the bottom half of the world. BYC certainly is an international community. I've been sharing my nest designs for quite some time now and I lost count of how many I've personally responded to. I've made so many friends on this site and sharing is a big part of what BYC is about. I know some folks have gotten rid of very nice hens because they were egg eaters so I'm trying to educate folks as to what I feel is the best way to handle the egg eating problem; remove the eggs by rolling them away.

 

[ca]

Opa,
I took your design and adapted it to my situation (needed front emptying and used rain gutters to make it lighter). We are in the testing phase now!

Upper row: trough lid is open to show inside of trough
lower row: trough lid closed to show top of lid.

 

[garyk1398]

. Went with the John Deere theme!