Egg Collection Nesting Boxes

[jacksbackw]

I turned my flat nest boxes to rollaway ones. It hasn't completely stopped dirty feet stuff from getting on eggs. They hated them at first but they're getting better with them since I added some bedding to them.
I did it because of broken eggs daily turns out it was only one older hen, culled her and all's well.

Yeah, I have found that adding straw definitely helps. We have had the broken egg issue, sometimes happens if their shells are too thin so we addressed that with oyster shell and occasional crushed egg shell.

 

[jacksbackw]

What kind of hens do you have? My Buff Orp and Light Brahmas tend to have poop on their butt feathers, which leads to poopie eggs. I try to keep their butt feathers trimmed short, which stops the feather poop and poopie eggs.

We have a variety including buffs. Their butt feathers do get poopy occasionally. I have not tried trimming the butt feathers but definitely will give it a shot.

 

[jacksbackw]

I bought a "little coop" as we call it last year when we got our chickens,before I had the bigger one built. With only 4 hens that's where they knew to go and it has a little divider. They inevitably wanted the same nest tho. Adding 2 chicks that won't start laying for 4 mos at least I figure I need another nesting box.
I had a 5 gallon bucket so I made a tray of sorts so it won't roll and I put hay/straw in it and put it under the original one. It's not as dark because its outside so Im hoping the small towel pinned in front will help. Ive been getting 3 eggs , out of 4 hens, almost daily even in the rain so Im happy. Are 5 gallon buckets a workable idea?

We have a fairly large coop that was once a tool shed, so it has windows on left and right walls. The back wall is the only space to have boxes and half of that is taken up by the roosts. We have had chickens for around 9 years, various breeds. This time we have the most we have ever had at 14 total. I am not sure if 4 boxes is enough but it seems to work. They will occasionally lay on the ground in the corner of the coop. I just don’t have space for another box.

Now I like your 5 gallon bucket idea, might allow me to fit more nesting boxes in the small space I have. I will have to measure to see if that would work. Right now our boxes are store bought from Tracker Supply, grey with slanted top and a black plastic purch in the front with slotted ventilation on the sides. They take up quite a bit of space.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I am pretty sure the primary issue is the wet and muddy run. I plan to take measure this weekend to clean that up.

That should help a lot. I don't tend to find mud soiling on my eggs even though we have a lot of rainy weather, as I keep adding litter to the run through the year and the birds tend to "wipe" their feet off going up the steps into the coop and through dry, clean coop bedding before getting in the nests.

 

[Granny23]

We have buff orping, leghorns, rhode island reds, Easter egger, variety of sizes. I am also interested in the egg catching aspect in addition to cleaner eggs.

I have one nesting box, closest to the perch that they occasionally sleep in. There is definitely enough roost space. I have four nesting boxes, 2 lower, 2 upper and the roosts around vertically about in between as far as height. The problem is that it is a small coop and there is really no space for reconfiguring as there is only one wall where I can install nesting boxes. The boxes do have tops so droppings aren’t falling down to the lower boxes. We have 14 girls and 4 boxes.

I think the primary reason the eggs are dirty is that when it rains, the run gets muddy and they track that in on their feet, thus getting on the eggs. When things are dry, the eggs are clean.

We do keep plenty of hay / pine straw in the boxes which does help a bit.

My wife and I are going to dig up the run today to loosen it up and remove a layer of old compacted hay/poop and will replace with fresh hay which should help matters.

Thank you for your response and any recommendations.

My nesting area is away from where they perch. The picture is my yard. The orangy looking pen on the right is where my girls go to lay...the nesting boxes are to the far right,inside, closest to the wall, below the highest part of that little coop. There's 2 places in there.
To the middle left you can see the main coop door and to the right is a piece of plywood, to the left of the plant. Thats where the roost is. Inside of course.That was probably hard to understand!
At the bottom of the plywood is a hole for going from the coop to the large enclosure. Im waiting for an automatic door to arrive...battery operated, that opens at sunrise and closes at dusk, I hope!!

 

[JoeCT]

Hi Granny23, I like your setup. You will love the auto door it is a real game changer. I had a challenge with positioning and adjusting the light sensor (due to structures and trees casting shadows) for the dusk/dawn operation. I ended going with the time setting and it is still really nice to have.