Can I have your Rollaway Nesting Box Suggestions?

[Lelilamom]

I'm looking for recommendations on rollaway nesting boxes. I have the tried/true metal, 15 box setup and the bottoms are rotting out of each box. The hens often crush the eggs whilst laying in them which leads to many yellow faced hens and not very many eggs collected at the end of each day.

Anyone find a good rollaway nesting box?
Anyone find that they aren't beneficial?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Debbie292d]

Here's a post by @LaFleche that might help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-beak-size-hole-in-them.1664931/post-28615132

And here's how someone made one themselves. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-rollout-nest-design-picture-heavy-edited-1-21.287684/

 

[BlueDawnRising]

I have a large Hen Gear rollaway box. My 6 older chickens just started laying last month. I had one that wouldn’t use it until I put nest material (straw) in it, which blocked the eggs from moving into the egg box. As soon as I did though, she started laying in there too. I removed a handful of the straw each week or so until it was mostly gone and the eggs are almost always in the collection box now. I have 13 more, the first of which laid her first egg this week, and she jumped right in without hesitation (I assume because she has watched the others). All eggs are clean and waiting in the back for collection. I have only had one that was damaged but it was when the straw wasn’t allowing the eggs to roll and the chickens were kicking around in the box, making their own nest, and kicked an egg to the side, cracking the end. This is my first go with chickens so I don’t really have experience with traditional boxes but would recommend Hen Gear.

 

[Ted Brown]

Some of my hens started to eat eggs which led to a roll inside design (I have a large walk in coop and have to deal with winters).

These are not complicated to build. I have a row of 7 underneath one of the drop boards so roof was in situ to start. I cut two sides 12" deep & 16" high, a 16" front with seven 10" holes, a floor 24" wide, a roll out section cover made from two 7' pieces of 1/4" plywood hinged in the middle and two cover support sloped pieces attached to the sides on which the cover sits.

All from stock I had leftover from other projects.

The only issue I had was the roll out section was too "short" and the hens could put their heads through the 2" space I had left under the front and reach the eggs; made a wider floor, problem solved.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Some of my hens started to eat eggs which led to a roll inside design (I have a large walk in coop and have to deal with winters).

These are not complicated to build. I have a row of 7 underneath one of the drop boards so roof was in situ to start. I cut two sides 12" deep & 16" high, a 16" front with seven 10" holes, a floor 24" wide, a roll out section cover made from two 7' pieces of 1/4" plywood hinged in the middle and two cover support sloped pieces attached to the sides on which the cover sits.

All from stock I had leftover from other projects.

The only issue I had was the roll out section was too "short" and the hens could put their heads through the 2" space I had left under the front and reach the eggs; made a wider floor, problem solved.

I think I get what you're describing, but could you post a photo when you have a chance?