Community Nest Boxes - Let me see 'em!

[Jillian12]

I love all the great ideas. Here's my latest creation for my OEGB. Just thought I'd share

 

[cyndispeer]

silkies

 

[darajosami]

Wow, I have an old tool box not being used and need more nests... bingo!

Thanks for the idea. Hubby has one I might borrow

Love all the ideas, will go hunting on my property (and might even check out property behind me and ask for anything they aren't using LOL.

I do have some old 20L drums kind of like this one that hubby used to cart milk from the farms he milked on for his calves, would they do ok once cut in half? I am getting Brown Leghorns.

 

[LindaB220]

Glad to see this thread brought back to life. I'm going to use an 18 gallon tote with a small square cut in the front left side. I'll have two of these so that should be enough for a dozen hens.

 

[cyndispeer]

silkie

 

[minnehaha]

I am going to try the community nesting box tomorrow, it's in place and ready for my girls to discover it. I was going to divide this crate up into several nests, but I was very tired, so I searched this forum for "community nesting boxes" and found this thread. I'm so glad it's been revived and so glad the community nesting box is a good idea. Currently, I had 6 laying boxes in the hen house built to proper specs. Only 2 hens use it, the rest go out to the dark quiet shed and lay their eggs in the X-Large cat box. So, I decided to put this big community one out there to see if they use it. It is a crate turned on it's side. It measures 45 inches long, 20 inches tall and 36 inches deep. I put a board across the front, and stapled some curtains to the front, the curtains are the kind that make a room dark. I cut some entry triangle slits in the curtain. I had a scrap piece, so for the heck of it, I stapled that to the entrance. I also put a deep layer of pine shavings inside, and scattered 6 fake wooden eggs in it. Tomorrow, I will let you know how it was received. I will also post pictures of the 6 nesting boxes that are in the hen house.

Community nest box:

The community nesting box sitting in the shed with supplies on top. I'm trying to make it look obscure and private.
Those waterers on top are empty, but I should move them and find other stuff to put on top.

The beloved X-Large kitty litter box, the current favorite. I have 32 girls, all coming into POL
so this is not going to suffice for much longer.

CURRENT BARELY USED NESTING BOXES,

I think the reason they don't like it is because it's very light in my henhouse and the big windows are next to the nesting box. The henhouse is also noisy with lots of activity. On the backside of the nesting boxes is another room. After I get my broody out of there who is sitting on eggs, I'll convert that area to the nesting box area where it will be dark, private and secluded. I'll put a small chicken access door in the bottom of the people door. I think that will do the trick for future egg laying in the henhouse versus the shed.

 

[minnehaha]

2 hens used the community nest, 3 used the litter box and 3 used the single nesting boxes in the hen house.

 

[Wise Woman]

We have 2 community nest boxes in our new coop. In our previous coop, we had 7 nest boxes and most of them went unused. So we figured why bother making separate ones this time around.


It is hard to see in this picture, but behind the curtain is two large nest boxes. One on top and one on the bottom. They love it and this works well for us.

 

[LindaB220]

I finally made up my mind what type of box I wanted for the deep south heat. I settled on a sterilite shelving system with 2 community nests made out of two of the black crates that cokes or something come in. It measures about 6" tall and 18" x 28" and the new layers all use the box on the second shelf about 18" off the floor. No trouble getting them to lay in it after the first couple of days. I got 4 eggs yesterday. They have been laying about 10 days. Top two shelves are storage. I was going to put velcro and fabric around it but they like it this way. The black is secluded enough.

 

[10whiskers]

We have 2 community nest boxes in our new coop. In our previous coop, we had 7 nest boxes and most of them went unused. So we figured why bother making separate ones this time around.


"It is hard to see in this picture, but behind the curtain is two large nest boxes. One on top and one on the bottom. They love it and this works well for us."

I like the curtain for an inviting, dark place to lay. Since it seems the red water nipples, rim around the feeding and water containers are meant to attract the birds, I think maybe I'll try some red curtains. I'll let you know if the girls are attracted to red in the curtains, too.

My three aren't laying yet, but are very close. I had just chicks until a few days ago and then bought point of lay ones, so the nesting boxes are going to be built today. I'm glad I found this community nesting boxes thread today. If it doesn't work, I'll just put in dividers later. (The chicks are still in the house and off the light two nights ago. The new, POL girls are in the coop outside that was meant for the chicks later.)