Crazy idea? Communal nesting boxes and feeding station?

[ms_aeb]

I stumbled into this roll away 20 nest box on fb marketplace and it “mysteriously” appeared at my house. #chickenaddiction

By June there should be 60+ free ranging chickens ready to lay big pretty brown eggs in it. Soooooo... I’d like to build some sort of multi-purpose chicken “station” for handling feed/water/and nesting and eliminate the multiple smaller options and focus coops to be used only for predator protection at night. Locating the station closer to my house helps reduces the distance and time spent transporting food, water, and eggs.

The big questions are:
1) Will they use the nest boxes so close to the feeding activity?

2) What’s the simplest construction idea with adequate weather protection for the nests, food, and water? Would it require building a whole new shed?

3) Any thoughts as to IF this will work at all? Or am I setting myself up for failure?

My searches on this forum haven’t yielded any similar ideas so I’m beginning to worry I’ve started down a path of problems. The original idea was to mounting the nests about hip high on posts with a simple roof over them and locate bulk feeders and waterers underneath them.

 

[NatJ]

I’m considering mounting the nests about hip high and locating feeders and waterers underneath them.

Sounds like a good plan to me!

Things to consider:
--make sure there's something for the chickens to land on when they fly up to the nests, so they can walk gently into the actual nest.

--a few chicken breeds will not be able to fly high enough (Silkies, Frizzles, some heavy breeds), and a few other kinds can fly up but might land too hard and hurt themselves when they come down (heavy breeds).

--make sure the nests do not get too hot in the sun, or wet in the rain. You don't show a picture, so I can't tell if they will need an extra roof or if they are already sheltered enough.

--if you get wind & rain at the same time, the food might get wet even when it's under the nestboxes.

 

[ms_aeb]

Sounds like a good plan to me!

Things to consider:
--make sure there's something for the chickens to land on when they fly up to the nests, so they can walk gently into the actual nest.

--a few chicken breeds will not be able to fly high enough (Silkies, Frizzles, some heavy breeds), and a few other kinds can fly up but might land too hard and hurt themselves when they come down (heavy breeds).

--make sure the nests do not get too hot in the sun, or wet in the rain. You don't show a picture, so I can't tell if they will need an extra roof or if they are already sheltered enough.

--if you get wind & rain at the same time, the food might get wet even when it's under the nestboxes.

I added a photo - do you think I’ll need another type of roof? Maybe sheet tin to extend the roof a foot or so past the openings?

They are from a commercial layer house and have boards built in to land on before entering nest. Thank you for mentioning the heavier breeds; I have a handful of Brahma and could add a ramp to assist their entry/exit.

 

[black_cat]

maybe not a real shed, but like a mini shed? With mostly just framework and a roof, but maybe a solid back as well, to help protect the food and water?

 

[NatJ]

I added a photo - do you think I’ll need another type of roof? Maybe sheet tin to extend the roof a foot or so past the openings?

I think they will need some additional roof--that one doesn't even cover the entire nestbox, because it's meant to be used indoors. And they probably will get hot inside, unless they are in the shade of trees or of a building.

Whether you will also need a windbreak on one or two sides will depend on how much wind you get, and whether you have trees or buildings already blocking wind.

1) Will they use the nest boxes so close to the feeding activity?

Probably yes.

2) What’s the simplest construction idea with adequate weather protection for the nests, food, and water? Would it require building a whole new shed?

Probably a roof, possibly one or two walls.

black_cat's idea about a partial-shed might work (enough framing to hold a roof, one or two walls, no floor)

Or maybe just one of those big umbrella things people use for outdoor picnics.
It really depends on your climate. Snow would collapse an umbrella, heavy wind might blow it away, but it would be fine protection against sun and rain if you didn't have wind.

3) Any thoughts as to IF this will work at all? Or am I setting myself up for failure?

My searches on this forum haven’t yielded any similar ideas so I’m beginning to worry I’ve started down a path of problems. The original idea was to mounting the nests about hip high on posts with a simple roof over them and locate bulk feeders and waterers underneath them.

I think your original idea, with the simple roof over top, has a good chance of working well. But it really will depend on what weather you have at what times of year.

If you shut the chickens into a safe coop to sleep at night (protects from predators), then you must let them out around sunup (automatic pop door can help, if you don't want to get up that early.) Otherwise they will not be able to get to the nests to lay their eggs, and you will have dirty eggs on the floor of the sleeping area.

If you want a LONG page full of ideas, I have found this interesting:
http://www.plamondon.com/wp/range-poultry-housing/
Somewhere down near the bottom, the guy talks about using one set of buildings for chickens to sleep in, another for nests, and other shelters for feed & water. He's got some photos as examples, too. (Many of his ideas sound sensible to me, but I haven't tried most of them, so I cannot be sure if they actually work as well as he says.)