Could you be so kind..

[supermommy]

to show me your nest boxes? Im getting ready to do mine, as all of ours will be laying soon (I hope so) I also got a hen who has already been laying and who hatched babies(previous home), so Im assuming she will lay again soon. Thanks so much and Im hoping to get some super idea's!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Mine's favorite nest boxes are old milk crates. Seriously. I like them because they are easy to keep clean. I have 4 in the LF house and one in the banty coop (that also has built ins). The next coop will also have a low shelf lined with milk crates. Love them!

 

[supermommy]

Quote:
My hubby brought home tons of the milk crates...Do you set them on the floor, or up higher??? What do you line it with? Thanks so much..It sure would be cheaper to use what we already have. For 12 hen's How many should I have?

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I set mine on the floor. I originally had them screwed to the wall, but the girls seem to prefer them on the floor. I fill mine with either straw or shavings. I like the straw, but I'm told it can harbor mites. I generally keep the whole area dusted down with DE, so I haven't seen mites yet.

I have 4 crates in with 8 hens. One crate never gets used. They all alternate between the other three. Apparently the chicken rule is that no more than two crates can have eggs in them so they tend to use the same crates.

In my banty coop the crate is turned on its side. My silkie was using it for broody cover. She still uses it peridically as a pen for the babies. She blocks one side and they run around behind her. The bigger chickens can't get to them and she can rest while they play.
Same deal in the banty coop. There are 4 boxes for 8 chickens and I only ever find eggs in two of the boxes. Silly chickens!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Most of my nest 'boxes' are 5 gallon buckets. Just cut a hole in the lid and voila! Instant nest box

 

[skrasienko]

How old are your layers? mine are around 10 weeks so im trying to get an idiea when to put the nest boxes in the coop

 

[supermommy]

Thanks for the reply's. I put in 3 crates, filled with hay/straw. We shall see how they like it