Community Nest Boxes - Let me see 'em!

[bruceha2000]

Above: Built four days ago. I know, the windows, but there was nowhere else to put the sucker (8x10 metal shed). I don't have any spare time right now to go buy some fabric.

Do you think I have too many golf balls in the nests?

I have three, (approx.) 25 week old EE's, who haven't laid yet. Ginger, the only one who squats (?) when I gently put my hand on her back, got into the lower nest. She didn't stay long.

I haven't found any hidden eggs yet. I don't know if they laid while they were in the "pet store" and I don't know if they laid for the people the store people got them from. I bought them only
11 days ago and there has been a lot of stress for them. I'm hoping that's it. The humidity and heat is horrendous here and of course I'm their third home in 3 weeks.



Above: Top roosting bar from left: Liza and Joonie. Ginger is on the second roost. I'm guessing their open wings is because it's hot and humid. (Newbie here

)

I would think a couple of balls in each would be fine. The idea is that they think another bird has laid there so it must be a good place. They will likely gather up everything egg like in the box then lay theirs in the same place. I know some say the birds want dark and privacy when they lay but most of my birds lay in the open box (4' long, 2 dividers). Their other option is the closed 4' long community box. So your girls MIGHT want it dark or, as you say, they are stressed out by all the moves. Since Ginger squats and was checking out the nest box, don't be surprised to find an egg sometime in the next week.

If it is that hot and humid, do you have plenty of ventilation so the metal shed doesn't heat up even more? I would have a TON of OPEN hardware cloth covered windows in a Florida coop. The window between the roosts and nest boxes looks like a multi louvered design. GREAT! You can keep them open even when it is raining. You might also want to suspend a tarp over the coop to shade it from the sun. You really don't want baked chicken in there.

I got them at Lowes via @brounii who had them first. I love that they self stack.Almost 16 x 12 x 19 plenty big enough for more than one at a time. Less than $10 each and delivered to the house too.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_149439-8424...L=?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=

edited:link didn't work so copy and paste

The link worked when I clicked on it (Chrome)

 

[LindaB220]

Above: Built four days ago. I know, the windows, but there was nowhere else to put the sucker (8x10 metal shed). I don't have any spare time right now to go buy some fabric.

Do you think I have too many golf balls in the nests?

I have three, (approx.) 25 week old EE's, who haven't laid yet. Ginger, the only one who squats (?) when I gently put my hand on her back, got into the lower nest. She didn't stay long.

I haven't found any hidden eggs yet. I don't know if they laid while they were in the "pet store" and I don't know if they laid for the people the store people got them from. I bought them only
11 days ago and there has been a lot of stress for them. I'm hoping that's it. The humidity and heat is horrendous here and of course I'm their third home in 3 weeks.



Above: Top roosting bar from left: Liza and Joonie. Ginger is on the second roost. I'm guessing their open wings is because it's hot and humid. (Newbie here

)

Outstanding setup. Kudos

 

[10whiskers]

I would think a couple of balls in each would be fine. The idea is that they think another bird has laid there so it must be a good place. They will likely gather up everything egg like in the box then lay theirs in the same place. I know some say the birds want dark and privacy when they lay but most of my birds lay in the open box (4' long, 2 dividers). Their other option is the closed 4' long community box. So your girls MIGHT want it dark or, as you say, they are stressed out by all the moves. Since Ginger squats and was checking out the nest box, don't be surprised to find an egg sometime in the next week.

If it is that hot and humid, do you have plenty of ventilation so the metal shed doesn't heat up even more? I would have a TON of OPEN hardware cloth covered windows in a Florida coop. The window between the roosts and nest boxes looks like a multi louvered design. GREAT! You can keep them open even when it is raining. You might also want to suspend a tarp over the coop to shade it from the sun. You really don't want baked chicken in there.

Above: This is the shed (without any windows in yet) at high noon. As you can see, the trees overhead provide its own natural "tarp". I put a thermometer inside the coop and it read what the outside temp. was. Two cut-outs on either side with louvered vents were inserted after the shed was put together.

Even though we have the Jalousie (Louvered) windows in the laundry room, I wanted some that would nearly fit the height of the shed walls on either side. I didn't use the third one, (they came off Craigslist as a trio) but I still might come next summer. They are pretty functional. Stormy weather came through for ten hours (a cool front pushing it and I couldn't find a wet pine shaving near those windows.

Also, a "false" door was put in to be open when the factory doors are open, but only when I am sitting nearby. I'm still checking to see if they'll get out somehow. (No Mother Hen, here...)

Above: The "fake" door. It can be opened wider, but when I go inside I only open the door with the tighter net on the door.

I guess I did over do it on the golf balls. If "they" don't get the idea with a couple, I guess I'll just have to give a few personal demonstrations.

Edit: for spelling.

 

[schradersl]

Do you need a nesting box for each hen or do they share? I have a coop with 6 nesting boxes, but will soon have 8 hens.

 

[tntchix]

I have 28 hens I get 8 eggs so far and most are all in one box. They pick their faves and leave the rest alone. 6 is plenty and if you need more space you might be able to reduce with only 8 hens.

 

[bruceha2000]

Do you need a nesting box for each hen or do they share? I have a coop with 6 nesting boxes, but will soon have 8 hens.

Six is more than plenty. If my 10 girls (used to be 12) all wanted to lay at the same time at best there would be space for 8:

- One 4' box partitioned into 3 open nests
- One 4' enclosed community box
- One corner grain feeder in the feed room (put there after a girl laid an egg in that corner of the room. She never used it and it has been used only a few times by other girls. None in the last year.

These girls have their favorite nest, not sure why but they sure aren't "next available nest" girls. They will wait for their favorite and I have on occasion seen 2 in one of the open nests at the same time even when another nest was open.

 

[21Whitetigers]

Still working on building my nesting boxes and thinking the community route using the top of a China hutch upside down, without dividers anyone think this will be ok?

 

[paneubert]

Super old thread, but seems like a good one to raise from the dead.

I can't envision your upside down china hutch. Any more details?

Here is what I did. Old computer desk with a little bit of wood screwed below the desktop to make one big community nest box. They are all roosting on the edge of the nest box in this photo. I also don't have the "floor" of the nest installed yet since I don't want them to sleep in there. But they laughed at me and roost on the edge anyway.

 

[21Whitetigers]

Mind the tools and dirtiness... coop is still a work in progress... nesting box is an upside down china hutch top without any shelves currently