Egg Roll-Out Nesting Box. Egg Catcher, Egg Trap, Egg Eating.

[redring]

wait a minute..... how do you keep chickens from roosting or sleeping in the boxes? I mean the boxes are in the coop, the coop is where they go at night.......what am I missing? Do I have something wrong? Now im confused.

 

[cavemanrich]

wait a minute..... how do you keep chickens from roosting or sleeping in the boxes? I mean the boxes are in the coop, the coop is where they go at night.......what am I missing? Do I have something wrong? Now im confused.

Lets clear this all up. Ideally you would put your nesting boxes near the floor, like 12 to 18 inches above the floor. Height is just a guide and does not need to be exact. You can place another row above those if you need many nesting boxes. The key here is to place the roosting higher than the nesting boxes. Many peeps build poop catch boards above their nesting boxes and a roost over the poop boards. Chickens will naturally desire to roost as high as available to them inside the coop. Some may still choose the nesting boxes,(usually the lower pecking order hens, or broody hens). Reason to try and discourage them sleeping in the nesting boxes, is to keep them clean. Chickens constantly poop, and sleeping in nesting boxes often produces soiled eggs. Its not the end of the world, but you can see the point of keeping them out. Often some peeps try to train their hens to stay out of nests at night, by removing them and placing them on the roosts above. Sometimes it works out well, usually if there is enough roost space.
Hope this brings some answers.

 

[redring]

Yes thank you!

 

[Katlarue]

Great!

Look forward to seeing your nest build, hope you post progress pics here on this thread.

Me too!

 

[Dalpooh]

wait a minute..... how do you keep chickens from roosting or sleeping in the boxes? I mean the boxes are in the coop, the coop is where they go at night.......what am I missing? Do I have something wrong? Now im confused.

Hello first how are you doing? Second if their not free range, and stay in coop ,that's the only place that they have to rest. Now if they free range they will be in tree's roosting are where it's cool at!! Let me know how it goes. Thanks

 

[dirkV]

The first setup is obviously for a large production chicken farm with maybe 50 or more chickens. (minimum. ) The second set of pictures is for a small coop with a dozen chickens or so.
How many chickens do you have ??? and is a system like this necessary for your needs ??? Do your chickens regularly crack their eggs, or eat them ??? I found that chickens go into a nest and lay where there are existing eggs and with no problems of cracking those already there. My nest boxes are lined generously with hay, so things are soft for the girls.
WISHING YOU BEST

sounds good, but we have a problem with broken eggs,even lined with hay,straw,wood shavings...... broken eggs leads to chicken eating eggs ... we are not home in daytime to check every hour... what we do in weekends and have waaaaay more eggs, so any solutions for this issue??

 

[Sally PB]

@dirkV, this is an old thread, and you are not likely to get an answer. You'll have better luck if you start a new thread and aske your specific questions.

And,

 

[cavemanrich]

sounds good, but we have a problem with broken eggs,even lined with hay,straw,wood shavings...... broken eggs leads to chicken eating eggs ... we are not home in daytime to check every hour... what we do in weekends and have waaaaay more eggs, so any solutions for this issue??

Your broken egg issue can be a result of weak egg shells. Maybe increase the calcium the chickens get. Generally,,, layer feed is sufficient,,,,, but the eggs may be with weak shells.
You can increase the calcium intake with Cracked oyster shells,,, free-choice,,, as well as offering the used egg shells from eggs that you consume.
I just drop on ground in run area, and crush with my shoe/foot. Some peeps do get elaborate, and dry/bake their used shells ,,,,, and then crush them. I found that not to be necessary. .I have been Keeping chickens for well over 20 years now.
Chickens do pick up the cracked pieces of shells in their own convenience/time. Chickens do know what they need,,, (usually),,, There are of course exceptions to everything. You just may have a hen that is not capable of creating strong shells.

Consider the fact,,,, that a broody hen can sit on a dozen or more eggs, and not cause breakage. Those eggs do have strong shells.
Ask anything else you are not sure of.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[4CuteChics]

We're having breakage issues, they're eating the eggs. We were getting 10-18 day, now it's 3-6. I added oyster shell to their feed, which is cracked corn and layer feed. They have a 10'x14' coop and free range on the weekends. I pulled the roosters out of the coop thinking the ladies were stressed. They have plenty of water. The eggs have been messier than usual because they're kicking out the bedding. Any ideas?

 

[cavemanrich]

The eggs have been messier than usual because they're kicking out the bedding. Any ideas?

Have a barrier on your nest boxes, to prevent bedding from being scratched/kicked out.
Now another question..
What are you using for bedding in your nest boxes?? If it is pine shavings, that can easily be moved by chickens scratching. Chicken is trying to make a comfy nesting spot,, and results in a bare hard surface exposed.
Consider making your nesting places lined with hay. That is what I use. If you don't want to invest in a bale of hay,,, or is not easily found in your area,,,
Solution #2. When you cut your lawn grass... bag it, and then dry it on your driveway/patio/ or whatever area you may have. After a few days, it will be useable as nest bedding.
Ask anything else you need to know.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and