Laying box Questions.....

[KDbeads]

Well, the laying boxes I was given are apparently too small for my 3 NHR's, they can't even fit in them sitting down so I'm fairly sure these will be fine for the banties I'm hatching. But.... I need a couple of nest/laying boxes for the 'big' girls. I have enough scrap ply to make at least 2 depending on the size.... but need an idea of what size to make!!

I was thinking a 12" cube but not really sure. Maybe 15" cube? Ideas? I've been playing with the search feature and not finding anything so I'm needing a teensy bit of help.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

My husband builds laying boxes in many designs but he always goes with a 12 X 12 X 12 with a 2 inch kick plate on the bottom so the material all stays put. I would not go bigger than a 15 inch cube and never smaller than 12. Good Luck.

 

[JanieMarie]

I just use the square plastic milk crates and the girls love them. They use these befor they'll use the regular nesting boxes. But I would guess 12-15 inches would be fine.

 

[KDbeads]

Cool.... I'll start drawing things up and will break out the power tools tomorrow!

 

[PortageGirl]

This is mine, I have 12 hens, mine never bicker. Most prefer the 'open' tray on top, some like the boxes more. I built mine on the biggish side, they're 14 x14 (give or take) because I used to have RIR which were pretty good sized, and also, I hope to get some Buckeyes, and they seem a little bigger too. This way too, if two of my current littler girls try to get in the same one, they can fit. Almost all use them, so it must be ok!

(I have one wyld child holdout who lays in the ivy)

 

[KDbeads]

I just measured the other boxes just to have an idea..... they are 8" cubes. I never had normal sized chickens growing up (only banties) so I didn't think anything about the size when I put it in the coop because it looked fine to me. And now that the NHR's are looking ready to lay and trying out the boxes.... well I noticed the size problem

Sometimes I scare myself.... really.....

And these girls are huge, at least they are to me

 

[nikischicks]

I use the milk crates also. Before the addition I had built the 12" boxes, 5 of them, all nice. They are a pain to clean out! This time I just put in the crates and put a heap of straw in them, much better and they like them too.