? Milk crates as nest boxes for larger hens?

[CoyoteMagic]

This is what I started with. I put the old shutter over them to give them a bit of darkness

They liked them but when I re-did the inside of my coop to add more roosts they all started laying in one corner. I built them a box there with a flip top lid. I also added a large covered kitty litter box. They don't use the milk crates anymore.

Thought about making some fancy boxes that I could access from outside but what the heck they like the ugly ones the best!

 

[LauraSBale]

I have seen at Target, ones that rectangle,

when i used them i nailed them up about 2 feet off the floor, and the opening faced out, so the top of the crate is one of the sides so you actually the bottom of the crate is nail to the wall and put a 4" broad a cross so the eggs would fall out, and a broad on the bottom ( would be one of the sides of the crate) so the bedding wouldn't fall out. above them was more nest so they felt more closed in.

they liked them better then nest made out of wood.
even though the milk crates have hole all around, it think it still gives them the feeling they are closed in, and just the front is open.

TOP OF THE CRATE
___________
| WALL |
|

| <Side of the crate
| |
|||||||||||||||||| < 4" Broad


when you walk in to you coop and this is how you would see the nest on your wall, and maybe your chick dancing LOL

 

[hensonly]

I have a friend who bought a former apple orchard...I got a bunch of the old apple boxes for free. Might check with orchards in your area for extra boxes...