bucket nesting boxes!

[jcskowronek]

hey everyone! so i have 6 chickens that will be laying relatively soon... i just finished my new coop/tractor (which i need to post about! my brother engineered a wheel assembly that raises/lowers and steers so its drivable - it's super cool!) anyway i haven't done nesting boxes yet because i've been going back and forth on what to do.

in the past i've had plywood cubes with litter boxes in the bottom and that's worked, but my old coop was much larger and stationary so i want something different here.

i've been thinking i would use 5 gallon buckets, but i ordered some from home depot and they just seem really small to me. i don't have the measurements but they're just the standard 5 gal homer bucket. in lots of videos i've seen the people just turn the buckets on their sides and add a little lip at the bottom to keep the bedding in. i've seen others where they cut part out so that when the bucket is on its side, the top is open.

does anyone have experience with using buckets for nesting boxes? what works/doesn't work?

thanks for the help!!

 

[aart]

they just seem really small to me

They are.
Some folks use them with success, but many have found that they are too small.
Standard 5 gal bucket is 12" in diameter.
The curved 'floor' can be troublesome and may need more bedding which then lowers the 'roof' of nest.
12x12x12" is the rule of thumb for nests, but many have found that taller is better as the bird actually almost fully stands when egg emerges. I like 14x14x16 for my nests.