Banty-size Nest, Anyone have an innovative idea?

[speckledhen]

I have 9 nests in my main layers coop. Even though they mostly like to use 3 of those and there are plenty of empties, my only bantam, Shadow, is 30 weeks old, extra small, and hasn't started laying yet. She get chased away from everything and on occasion, run over, poor little girl, though she does pretty well most of the time. I think the nests I have dont feel cozy enough for her.
My DH wants to make her a small nest that no one else can really fit into so she can have a special place to go. It can hang on a wall near her special roost we installed for her, but not sure what to do so that none of the bigger birds will be able to invade her space. Ive looked through many posts but they all seem too large. She only needs one nest, just one little, bitty haven in which to escape to lay her little eggs.

 

[ironjerry]

I have Silkies and they use the plastic milk cartons that they deliver milk in to my school. They are maybe 15 inches square and I put a 6 inch high front on them and fill with straw. They are maybe two feet off the ground and I have a cover on the top.

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks, ironjerry. I have milk crates that are 12" square, but maybe I can do something to close off the front more than the board across the bottom that keeps the nesting material and eggs from falling out. Maybe close in the sides a bit, I mean. Shadow is so tiny and my goofy girls always want to lay in whatever the new nests are at the moment, so I just dont want them to hassle her by crowding her out.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Can you put something, like a piece of plywood, over the front of a smaller nest box, with a hole or oblong cut out so only her little body can fit in?

i have a teeny weenie OEG bantam, but she's with my other bantams. Even so, she is still half everyones size and gets run over every so often. i hear "SQUEEK!" over the baby monitor, and i cringe.

 

[speckledhen]

Aw, she sounds adorable. Poor Shadow is sounding a bit hormonal now, so I think she may lay very soon. I may be able to close off something for her, poor little thing.

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

I use one of those small plastic storage containers. About the size of a shoebox. Then my DH built a basic box around it with a little slanted roof. It's nice because the storage box fits in snug but can be removed to wash if needed. I don't think the big girls would be able to fit into it. If you need, I can take a picture of it tomorrow while I'm out there.

 

[speckledhen]

Christine, thanks so much. If you are able, sure, I'd love to see a picture, but dont go to any trouble. I do have a small plastic shoebox on the porch with some gloves in it. That could work.

 

[justusnak]

Depending on how small she is....you may be able to use a coffee can...you know..the red folgers large plastic ones. Just put it inside a small crate..to cover the front. My little banty frizzle loves hers..and NOONE can fit in there but her!

 

[spook]

Great question speckledhen, I have been contemplating the same issue!
I was looking at a plastic folgers "can" too. Even a shelf bracket and screw the bottom of the folgers can to it. Even a small shallow trash can, oval shape, allow the oval part to be verticle and fill with hay, place cardboard with duct tape so she has to step up and in and this will make it difficult at best for the big girls to get into.
Not sure what I'll be doing. I found a wooden box, think it was a drawer ...screws make the world a great place! lol.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
ooh!..good idea!