HenGear Roll Out Nest Boxes

[9blessings]

Hi there! I've got my 25 Australorp pullets getting bigger every day and I'm looking at nest box ideas. Has anyone used these? https://hengear.com/products/rollout-nest-box-large?variant=31597907852 They look well designed but I'm questioning the 48" nest box for 45 hens....maybe bantams?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Interesting, I saw no reviews or dimensions. That raises some red flags for me but no, I have no experience with that type of nests. Joel Salatin has used “community” nest boxes and says a 24” x 48” community nest box will handle around 24 hens, not 48. But searching online I see others using smaller dimensions and still claiming they handle a lot of hens. Personally I’d trust Joel more than what I see advertised. Maybe cut the advertised number in half to be safe.

You might want to do a search on “community nests boxes” and do some comparison shopping if you want that type.

Community type nest boxes are good for egg production operations. They do not work if you expect a hen to hatch chicks in the nest. And broody hens can possibly upset the number of hens it will handle. You might want some plans for broody hens. A separate nest area you can lock a broody hen in if you want her to hatch eggs or have a broody buster handy if one goes broody and you don’t want her to hatch eggs.

A broody buster is a wire bottomed cage you elevate so cooler air can get under the hen. You provide her food and water but nothing that looks like a nest. In three of four days she should have broken from being broody and will no longer be a disruption.

Community nest boxes are a proven concept, but I personally have no experience with them.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Q

 

[9blessings]

Interesting, I saw no reviews or dimensions. That raises some red flags for me but no, I have no experience with that type of nests. Joel Salatin has used “community” nest boxes and says a 24” x 48” community nest box will handle around 24 hens, not 48. But searching online I see others using smaller dimensions and still claiming they handle a lot of hens. Personally I’d trust Joel more than what I see advertised. Maybe cut the advertised number in half to be safe.

You might want to do a search on “community nests boxes” and do some comparison shopping if you want that type.

Community type nest boxes are good for egg production operations. They do not work if you expect a hen to hatch chicks in the nest. And broody hens can possibly upset the number of hens it will handle. You might want some plans for broody hens. A separate nest area you can lock a broody hen in if you want her to hatch eggs or have a broody buster handy if one goes broody and you don’t want her to hatch eggs.

A broody buster is a wire bottomed cage you elevate so cooler air can get under the hen. You provide her food and water but nothing that looks like a nest. In three of four days she should have broken from being broody and will no longer be a disruption.

Community nest boxes are a proven concept, but I personally have no experience with them.

Thank you! I really should get a copy of Salatin's book. And I will do some research on community nest boxes.

 

[9blessings]

[COLOR=FF0000]It has a lot of nice features. The average nest box is 1ft³. These nest boxes are over sized and similar to a community nest box and can easily accommodate 4 and more of your large hens at one time. I think it would serve it's purpose in your loft. The worst case scenario you may have to buy an extra one where you do have so many hens.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=FF0000]Speaking from my own experience I have 4 nest boxes and 14 hens they use 2 boxes. This box as is could easily handle 28 Golden comet hens for sure.[/COLOR]

Thank you! Australorps are a heavier breed and the larger size is one of the things that caught my eye. I appreciate you sharing about how many boxes your girls use!