DIY make your own original nesting boxes! What do yours look like? Post your pics here!

[zazouse]

WOW looks cool

one thing though do they have safe passage up and down from the higher levels

like a ramp of some sort

I ask this as jumping from great heights back down is a root cause of bumble foot

The highest box is eye level and i am 5.1, the hens that can't fly well lay in the bottom row, the hens laying in the higher buckets can walk the ledge and hop down on the roost, never had a problem with them getting Bramble foot.

 

[CyndiChick]

I love that pallet, and being able to move it I bet is convenient. We have to build some type of shed for our poor chickens... right now their nesting boxes are on top of a plywood table held up by sawhorses

We have one plywood nesting box that came with the original chickens we bought from a friend, and one we built out of repurposed wood when I renovated our back porch. That one even has a front porch for them to sit on outside the box, and a roof overhang to keep them from getting annoyed from the top of the box (since we had one baby who liked to sit up there and peck them every time they stuck their heads out LOL)

 

[TexasLisa]

I really like the 'bucket' nests!! Does anyone have ideas for turkey nests? I am getting ready to incubate 6 BR eggs and being me, am planning ahead!!

Lisa

 

[CyndiChick]

The white nesting box (complete with Wren nest) is made from 50 cent scrap wood from a yardsale. The red from repurposed wood from renovating the back porch. The other was given to us with our original set of hens.



The feeder in this one is also made from the yardsale scrap wood. (have one for the babies too)

 

[Farming Frenzy]

my friend had a good idea using garbage bins ( the big black ones ) as turkey/goose nests. Her birds loved them... and they're water proof too

 

[CDcluck]

I used five gallon buckets, in pairs, but this would work with any number. They are very easy to clean, and eggs gently roll right to the back for collection. Just make the 2x4s longer and you could do a row however long you like.
1. Remove one half of the bottom of the bucket. This will be the back of your box where you pick up eggs, open half end up. A Sawzall will do it.
2. Set two 2x4s about 10 inches apart, and set 10 inch 2x4s (or scrap lumber that will fit) across every 15 inches or so (width of rim of bucket plus 2 inches-ish), so it looks like a ladder. Make as many spaces between rungs as you have buckets.
3. Place buckets on their sides onto long 2x4s between 'rungs'. Space everything evenly.
4. Make sure the ladder rungs and the fronts of the buckets are even. Nail rungs. You may need to move buckets out while doing this, depending on how close you put the buckets.
5. Make sure the opening in the bottom of the bucket is at the top. Nail through side of bucket into long 2x4s. Nail from inside the bucket.
6. Nail 1x6 (or whatever you have that will work) across bottom of fronts of buckets, nailing into the rungs. One 1x6 can do the whole row if you have one long enough.

These might be a bit small for really big hens, but your average hen or bantam would be fine.

 

[zazouse]

I used five gallon buckets, in pairs, but this would work with any number. They are very easy to clean, and eggs gently roll right to the back for collection. Just make the 2x4s longer and you could do a row however long you like.
1. Remove one half of the bottom of the bucket. This will be the back of your box where you pick up eggs, open half end up. A Sawzall will do it.
2. Set two 2x4s about 10 inches apart, and set 10 inch 2x4s (or scrap lumber that will fit) across every 15 inches or so (width of rim of bucket plus 2 inches-ish), so it looks like a ladder. Make as many spaces between rungs as you have buckets.
3. Place buckets on their sides onto long 2x4s between 'rungs'. Space everything evenly.
4. Make sure the ladder rungs and the fronts of the buckets are even. Nail rungs. You may need to move buckets out while doing this, depending on how close you put the buckets.
5. Make sure the opening in the bottom of the bucket is at the top. Nail through side of bucket into long 2x4s. Nail from inside the bucket.
6. Nail 1x6 (or whatever you have that will work) across bottom of fronts of buckets, nailing into the rungs. One 1x6 can do the whole row if you have one long enough.

These might be a bit small for really big hens, but your average hen or bantam would be fine.

Sounds like alot of work, do you have a photo of this setup to share?

 

[CDcluck]

I am having trouble getting the photos onto the computer. It took me about half and hour to make a set of two, including getting the materials and such together. My initial impulse was to just nail the buckets to the side of the coop, which is way faster, but then they cannot be moved or taken out to clean, which I really wanted to be able to do.

This design lets me move them around as needed, and a pair is the same width as my coop (3ft). I can open the full-side doors on both ends of the coop, slide out the nest boxes, and blast the whole coop clean with the hose.

 

[Farming Frenzy]

ANytbody have a good nesting box idea for hens and their chicks? my chicks cant get to the nesting boxes high up...

 

[BoiledEgg]

Doesn't having the nesting boxes high up make it a bit treacherous for the newborn chicks? Or do you move the hens near to the time the chicks hatch?