How low to the floor is practical for nest boxes?

[gale65]

If you have yours low, are they right on the floor? Or if not, how many inches so that it's not too hard to clean underneath? I don't want to make them too tall because the roosts aren't going to be all that high.

 

[CrackyMcZap]

I have mine right on the floor and they use them no problem.

 

[BoltonChicken]

Mine are on the floor also with a 3" lip on them to keep in the nesting material. No problems.

 

[spotstealer]

Quote:
Mine also. They are also external with opening to the coop to save floor space.

 

[teach1rusl]

Unless you're mounting them high enough for the chickens to walk under or high enough for a feeder or waterer to sit under (in other words, high enough to conserve floor space), then I'd sit them right on the floor, as others have suggested. Just make sure they have a lip to prevent bedding from being pulled/spilled out.

 

[Renthorin]

Floor space in my coop is less than I wish I had planned for. Still enough for the birds to meet the 4 feet per bird rule but I didn't want to take away from that with the nest boxes.

I put mine about 16 inches off the ground and judging by the raptor tracks, they enjoy stomping around under the boxes. They haven't begun laying yet but I'm going to add a 1x1 a few inches in front of the lip on the nest boxs so they have something to flap up to.

 

[gale65]

Thanks everyone. The coop will have 4 sq feet per bird so this being on the floor would take up a little bit of the room but I am thinking 2.5 sq feet or so lost shouldn't be a problem. We're doing 4 boxes stacked so if we put them high enough for them to walk underneath, the top ones would be pretty high.

 

[reksat]

Mine ,18 " off the floor, mainly to conserve floor space.