Community Nest Boxes - Let me see 'em!

[aoxa]

The cat litter box works wonders! I have mine outdoors. They didn't take to it inside the coop. Now I have three laying hens, and they all use it!

 

[Nana2KJS]

Copper, left, and Skye sharing our old kitchen drawer next box.

 

[pardygwyn]

I just wanted to add a bit to this thread, as it inspired me to try out a tunnel-style community box. Sorry that I didn't take pics before I put it into service, but the box itself looks like the average nesting box with a hinged roof from the outside. It's 7'x14"x14" with a bit of slope on the roof. The only way in for the birds is a 12"x6" oval hole in the middle, inspired by the old commercial nesting boxes. From the entrance hole, they can go three feet in either direction to choose a place to lay. I'm using aspen shavings as nesting material. The girls have been using it for about a month now, and here's my review:

1. The hens LOVE it!! They've gone from hiding eggs in all sorts of interesting places (including a cardboard box on top of the chest freezer in the garage) to all laying in the nesting box.

2. They don't seem to notice that I take their eggs. I've always had a problem with these gals figuring it out and finding new places to lay, especially if the amount of eggs in the nest increases enough for the reduction to be easily visible. That doesn't happen anymore. As a matter of fact...

3. They seem to have trouble figuring out where the eggs are in the first place. Instead of tight little nests, I open the lid to see eggs strewn about the length of the nesting box. I usually leave two right next to the entrance hole when I collect and that seems to keep them coming back.

4. None of the younger birds are tempted to roost in this nesting box. It's absolutely spotless in there.

5. I've never had an issue with egg-eating, but I'd be really surprised if they ever take it up, being as they can't even see them well enough to gather the old eggs into their nest as they prepare to lay!

All in all, I really like this system and will use it from this point on. Thanks BYC! This place is an amazing source of ideas!

 

[chicken curious]

Merry,
Would you please take pictures and post them??? Pretty please?
I'm hoping to build our coop in the next couple weeks and I'd like to do a tunnel nest box. We'll probably have 6 hens, but with chicken math...well, it could end up a little more so I'm planning the coop accordingly with all sorts of great scrap wood. The easiest way to build a tunnel box in my plans so far would be ~6feet long and either 14" or ~22" deep. I figure about 14" tall with a sloped, hinged roof for external gathering. Do you think 22" is too deep?
Thank you!!
Whitney

 

[Yukonchick]

i wonder if only certain breeds of birds like community nesting because i would think that they would fight or peck at each other.

 

[Yukonchick]

That would work excellent up here in the Yukon because they would use their body heat to keep each other warmer. I wonder if some breeds would end up fighting or pecking each other. I've got 12 Red Sussex coming and they're supposed to be fairlh docile.

 

[bruceha2000]

What a wonderful idea! I am so glad I looked at this thread!! Now I know how I want my nest boxes and now I only have to cut a hole in the outside wall to go into the .......

Me too. Glad I read the thread before I started. I was planning to build a single outside unit, with dividers, the width of the space to the left of the chicken door (to the post the electrical box is connected to) and cut individual holes in the wall for each nest. Now I'm going to build it without dividers and make only one hole in the middle. Less work for me and if they don't like it, I can add dividers and cut more holes. Since this is inside a barn I don't need a sloped roof. Well maybe I do, the area outside the coop is their indoor run. They'll probably jump up and poop all over it.

 

[bruceha2000]

I did a little more searching and here is a 3 page pdf from the Ontario government showing plans for a "roll away" community nest.

Interesting idea but I am confused about one thing. The eggs can't roll if there is straw or shavings for the hens to nest in. How do you convince them to lay on bare hardware cloth?? I would think they wouldn't particularly want to walk on it let alone lay.

 

[bruceha2000]

Here is my community box yesterday with the first two eggs to be laid in it.
There were three this morning all on the left side.



Other pictures






Bruce

 

[Pepper03]

Almost forgot we have a cat litter pan. They love it.

Almost forgot we have a cat litter pan. They love it.

Almost forgot we have a cat litter pan. They love it.