Lightweight nesting box ideas?

[MoonAngel12]

DH and I are in the process of building a hoop house for our chickens - so far so good! I need to figure out what to do for nesting boxes though. Our current coop has some metal ones (10 openings total so it's big) that we repurposed from his great grandmas old chicken house from many many years ago. I want the hoop house to be fairly portable so I need to make them as light weight as possible. I found this idea for using plastic tubs so I figured I could rest them on a couple boards and it should be light enough. I also saw a couple using milk crates (not sure where to get any though)... any other thoughts or ideas? We'll have about 10 hens - 2 RIR, 3 BSL (current ones) and 5 GC (should be getting those soon from a friend who raised them for me).

 

[mljohnson05]

the light weight 5 gallon paint buckets work really really well too, and are easy to put up and clean.

 

[MoonAngel12]

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That's an option, too! I guess I would just need to put a small ledge in the front to keep the bedding in, right?

 

[mljohnson05]

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That's an option, too! I guess I would just need to put a small ledge in the front to keep the bedding in, right?

Just get a lid...cut it in Half and then you have a lip for 2 Nesting boxes (made from 1 lid !!!

 

[bryan99705]

How about plastic stackable recycling bins. Easy to clean and lightweight, probably so light they would have to be secured to prevent tipping over

 

[MoonAngel12]

Quote:
That's an option, too! I guess I would just need to put a small ledge in the front to keep the bedding in, right?

Just get a lid...cut it in Half and then you have a lip for 2 Nesting boxes (made from 1 lid !!!

Duh! That would be an obvious solution

Thanks!

 

[Dewsetter]

I have used an old plastic cat carrier. If you take the front door off it and take all the clips out holding the two halves together you actually get 2 nesting boxes which are light weight, high sided with a lower scooped out front bit for the hens to get in and out easily. Also another item I have used is a cat litter tray that is made to fit in a corner so the base of it is triangular in shape. This is their favourite

 

[speedy2020]

I built a nest box with 3 divider, but my chickens begin to sleep on top rim. I end up got card board box that look like nest box from Costco and leave on the floor. The box work very well and easy replace. The chickens no long able sleep on top because the box isn't strong enough.

 

[FarmKat]

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Love this idea!!!

 

[chickmchickie]

I have 5 gallon totes with a hold cut into them for my layers when they are old enough to lay..maybe you can use that idea.. i got mine for 4 bucks each and handy with the lid on top for stacking too..