Insulated nesting boxes in dog run

[amandau]

Hi,

We live in North Carolina, so have pretty mild winters (relatively speaking). We've purchased a coop before, but given how quickly it rotted, don't want to go that route again. We're currently building a new coop for our 6 chicks - it's a dog run on a wood frame, protected with hardware cloth and an open top. But we want to make some nesting boxes.

Initially we thought we could just use milk crates for nesting boxes, but I want to make sure that they are weather-friendly - keeping our ladies happy in the rain, heat, and snow.

Do you have any recommendations for standalone nesting boxes in a coop? I've looked through the forums here but haven't found something that's really what we're looking for (and we're not looking to construct anything too complicated).

Thanks so much!

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you want to go super simple there's plastic units that just nail onto the wall, or some people use kitty litter boxes, buckets, etc.

If you want to actually build something, I cut up some plywood and made legs from leftover wood (can't see the legs as they're painted with Black Jack). This looks like a built-in but only the lid is attached to the coop, the rest of the unit is free standing, and the 45 degree lid slant keeps it securely in place and prevents chickens from sitting on top.

 

[aart]

We're currently building a new coop for our 6 chicks - it's a dog run on a wood frame, protected with hardware cloth and an open top.

No roof for weather protection?