Exterior Nest Box Plans...anyone have them?

[hokankai]

We're going to begin working on our nest boxes and I thing I've changed by mind about having interior one...does anyone have plans or instructions on how to build exterior boxes with a hinged lid? I am not a handy person and could use all the help I can get!

Also, how do you attach the nest boxes to the coop? That part's got me all confused

 

[chics in the sun]

I just sort of put mine at the end of the run area. They have a brace across the top for the hinges, and the base is burried in the ground a few inches. Since you are in a much colder climate, I would just do essentially the same thing, but braced against the side of the coop with little holes cut in for them to go in and out. I like being able to get the eggs from the outside. I'm sure someone here will have a better cold-weather coop example for you. The chickens always use mine- although, of course, they always use the SAME ONE! See:

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I have exterior nest boxes. I don't have plans, but they're pretty easy to make. My BYC page has pics on how I attached them to the coop.

 

[Schroeder]

Here is what I made starting with info from this website: http://www.buildeazy.com/chicken_coop_1.html

 

[herefordlovinglady]

I use a couple of different ones around the yard. I have a couple of 5 gallon buckets out on my patio on my planting table, for some reason the hens love to sit on my table so i put them a bucket. i get more eggs from there then i do the other nest boxes. I also have under a leantoo shelter the tin nesting boxes from an old barn. they use it a good bit, but nothing like the buckets on my planting table.

 

[hokankai]

Thanks for the links and the pics! I still can't decide whether or not I want interior or exterior nest boxes...what are the pros and cons of each?

 

[chics in the sun]

I did mine exterior just so they didn't take up so much floor space, plus they can't roost/ sit on them that way.

 

[ghillie]