I need to build some nesting boxes real quick and dirty like....

[DENALI]

I am unexpectedly picking up 40 12 month old RIR and Buff hens Sunday. Totally unplanned just one of those things that fell in my lap a couple days ago. I have a plan hatched for a quick temp hoop coup or two until i get my perm one built but i am going to need nesting boxes for in the hoop coops in the mean time.
Anyone have quick and easy ideas?
Thanks again!

 

[Kaneke]

5 gallon buckets turned on their sides with a 2X4 attached on the front to keep the nesting material in

or, similarly, those plastic rectangular buckets that some kinds of kitty litter come in ... those with the hinged lids already have a "lip" for you ...

 

[hcammack]

Kitty Litter buckets seem to work or just build them out of wood I ordered mine from www.eggcartons.com because I wanted the ones that close and I only needed two.
Good Luck
Henry

 

[ole-crone]

thrift store finds...
I have a cabinet that used to hold our tv and stuff out there now - lots of shelves to turn in to nests. Also just section off some old bookcases.

A friend used old drawers - these looked great. She used hooks and eyes to hang them on the wall and they were easy to clean.

I have also been buying old bedstands and covered catboxes.

 

[jimnjay]

I bought a small book shelf at Lowes it is about 12 inches wide and has two shelves. It is on of those things you get for closet organizers. I put it together and laid it on the side in the coop. With it puched to the wall it made three nice nesting boxes. I am trying to remember but I think it was $ 12.00 or maybe $ 9.00. It works just great for the Silkies. It would be to small for Standards. They may have something similar that is wider to start with. It was a piece of cake to put together and I had an instant nesting box cluster.

 

[lacyloo]

I took an old outdoor metal shelf thing "for plant pots and stuff" and put more boards in it and made shelves.

 

[Barnyard]

old milk crates, work well too. I promise you that chicken is not gonna care what you put out there when she get's ready to lay. I have also taken a dog crate (pet taxi) and took it apart and used the top and bottom for 2 separte nesting boxes.

 

[Hawkster318]

If you have a Menards (or similar) around and are somewhat handy, these nesting boxes can be knocked out in a short time. Tools I used were a circular saw and a small gauge nail gun. Material cost was about $2 / box. Menard's has a scrap bin area, where you can get not perfect left-overs at a reasonable price.

Below is a PDF with the plans:

Simple Nest Box


HTH

 

[chickenranchwife]

Take 3 1x12x16 screw them together one for top, bottom, and back side, then add boards in between every 12" and don't forget the ends. This should make you 16 boxes. Then put a 1x4x16 on the front to keep the eggs from rolling out, then mount to walls. There is some cutting and screwing but would take no time at all to build. Good luck!

 

[Pidgey104]

milk creates work real good.