Minnesota!

[scandiafowl]

Rascal lost part of his comb last winter, but he's now sporting a sleek new look!

 

[scandiafowl]

@destiny_56085
 said she will have birds there.  I don't have anything to go for this time, maybe the next one though, but we will see.  I am usually able to sell anything I have to go straight off the farm and not have to haul them out anywhere.

Are there rules for bringing chickens to a swap? I'd like to go to a few and look around.

 

[mnbrewdude]

Nesting box question! I am building an external box for my coop. Right now it's about 36 inches wide, 18 inches high and 22 inches deep. I'm trying to decide the best route to take for proceeding. With a box that size, should I have one entrance or multiple entrances? How big should the entrance be? I was thinking about putting kitty litter boxes or pickle buckets in the box for the actual nesting. The coop is only going to house 8-10 hens, so should 2 nests be sufficient? Here's a pic of my progress to give you Minnesotans an idea of where I'm at. Obviously it will have a flip open lid on it (and carabiner lock for security).

I will also be posting this in the coop building forum for more info, but I like you guys better here and value good old fashioned Minnesotan advice!

 

[KlopKlop]

Nesting box question! I am building an external box for my coop. Right now it's about 36 inches wide, 18 inches high and 22 inches deep. I'm trying to decide the best route to take for proceeding. With a box that size, should I have one entrance or multiple entrances? How big should the entrance be? I was thinking about putting kitty litter boxes or pickle buckets in the box for the actual nesting. The coop is only going to house 8-10 hens, so should 2 nests be sufficient? Here's a pic of my progress to give you Minnesotans an idea of where I'm at. Obviously it will have a flip open lid on it (and carabiner lock for security).


I will also be posting this in the coop building forum for more info, but I like you guys better here and value good old fashioned Minnesotan advice!

I would build multiple entrances. Less likely to have issues with hens laying eggs on the coop floor or running off and making a hidden nest if they can access the nest box easier. If one hen was ornery she might block other hens that are lower in the pecking order from going in a single door.

 

[mnbrewdude]

I would build multiple entrances.   Less likely to have issues with hens laying eggs on the coop floor or running off and making a hidden nest if they can access the nest box easier.  If one hen was ornery she might block other hens that are lower in the pecking order from going in a single door.

ThAnks for the advice!! How big or small should the entrances be? I'm thinking they should maybe be like 8x10? Smaller than say the pop door?

 

[Minniechickmama]

You should plan to have one nest box for every 4 hens. That being said, they often pick nests that are favorites and you will find more than one hen in a nest at a time. If you are using something removable and washable, like a basket or bucket or whatever, that fits well into the space you are making, then you may or may not need more than one big opening. Again, it depends. The one thing that does attract them to lay in a nesting spot is having bedding/nest material for them to use in it. Some are rock stupid and prefer to lay on a flat surface with nothing, but I know what I put fresh nest material in a nest box, more of them will use it.
Your size so far is on the large size for a nest though. The max size I have seen recommended for nesting dimensions is 14" deep or wide. They do like feeling cozy and hidden. I think the ones I made are 12" square once I put a divider between them.

 

[KlopKlop]

You should plan to have one nest box for every 4 hens.  That being said, they often pick nests that are favorites and you will find more than one hen in a nest at a time.  If you are using something removable and washable, like a basket or bucket or whatever, that fits well into the space you are making, then you may or may not need more than one big opening.  Again, it depends.  The one thing that does attract them to lay in a nesting spot is having bedding/nest material for them to use in it.  Some are rock stupid and prefer to lay on a flat surface with nothing, but I know what I put fresh nest material in a nest box, more of them will use it.  

Your size so far is on the large size for a nest though.  The max size I have seen recommended for nesting dimensions is 14" deep or wide.  They do like feeling cozy and hidden.  I think the ones I made are 12" square once I put a divider between them.  

Yes don't be surprised when you put several boxes in and most still only go into one nest haha

One of my coops has best boxes made of milk crates and the hens love them. They are just right in size

 

[mnbrewdude]

Like the plastic milk crates? Do you just put them sideways in there? My original plan was to have one opening,m and then 2 or 3 pickle bucket / kitty litter nests in there against the outside wall. In theory, there should be enough room for the chickens to enter the laying "room" and choose the best they like best. Do the chickens like to be covered and hidden when they lay?

 

[KlopKlop]

Like the plastic milk crates? Do you just put them sideways in there? My original plan was to have one opening,m and then 2 or 3 pickle bucket / kitty litter nests in there against the outside wall. In theory, there should be enough room for the chickens to enter the laying "room" and choose the best they like best. Do the chickens like to be covered and hidden when they lay?

yes, plastic. I cut the top portion of the side out so that there is a good 4" lip on the bottom to hold in the nesting materials ( i use straw) I screwed then to 1x4s in 2 rows of 3 and attached them to the wall and added some supports to keep them from being wobbly. I also had to put an angled 'roof' over the top because they wanted to roost on the top row which has issues for obvious reasons.

In this photo you can see my hen Frieda being upset at one of our kittens who was exploring the coop.

 

[scandiafowl]

yes, plastic. I cut the top portion of the side out so that there is a good 4" lip on the bottom to hold in the nesting materials ( i use straw) I screwed then to 1x4s in 2 rows of 3 and attached them to the wall and added some supports to keep them from being wobbly. I also had to put an angled 'roof' over the top because they wanted to roost on the top row which has issues for obvious reasons. In this photo you can see my hen Frieda being upset at one of our kittens who was exploring the coop.

Klop - I like your set up. I have plastic boxes screwed into the wall, and am adding a few more. Those sturdy milk crates are harder to come by. What a great day! The flock loved being outside!