Mounted milk crates for nesting boxes?

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Hi guys, I'm finishing up renovating a 100 year old pig pen into my "new" chicken coop for my younger ladies. I've been trying to use as much reclaimed/used materials as possible and only really have the nesting boxes left to put in place. My "babies" just started laying this week, so I'll take to mean I need to get my behind in gear installing boxes.

I have tons of scrap lumber around I was going to build into boxes, but my DM had an idea, she has a ton of old, sturdy plastic milk crates lying around. I was thinking I could cut a "egg retrieval" hole in the bottom of them, then mount them to the wall in a row with a exterior wooden back flap across the whole bank of them so I could collect from the outside. I hope that makes sense.

I was thinking that they'd be easy to clean, I'd put a piece of cardboard or something in the bottom to keep nesting material from falling through and probably rig some sort of ledge on the front to keep the shavings from falling out all the time. What do you guys think? Good idea or not?

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

milk crates would make a PERFECT nesting box. I've seen milk crates, cardboard boxes, rubbermaid totes, wooden crates, etc...all used for nest boxes and everything inbetween that chickens choose. My neighbor's hens prefer his open rabbit hutch and an old speaker box that goes in a car for laying eggs...more than their galvanized or wooden nesting boxes.

If you want to mount them on the wall, and have a lip to keep bedding in and eggs from falling out I would use your scrap lumber, like 2X4's and make a frame the size of the milk crates, with a few small firring strips on the bottom or 1X4's to act as bottom supports of the milk crates and then have a lip build on the framing, instead of trying to rip up something like I've done before - lol. Or you could always just drill a couple holes in the sides of a long 1X3 or 1X4 and tie it off to the end milk crates.

 

[schellie69]

We use milk crates the only thing is my DH cut them at an angle. They work great the hen's love the red ones won't go near the blue ones. picky chickens. We are building a new coop and I made sure to paint the nest boxes red in it. I might have put the milk crate in the new coop but we shall see. If you want I have some pictures I could add to show you how we did it just let me know.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Thanks guys, that's very helpful! Thanks for the framing advice, I hadn't thought of that, but would definitely provide more support and give a little lip to keep the shavings in.

Totally cracks me up about picky hens choosing red milk crates over blue, sounds just like my girls! Schellie, I would LOVE to see some pictures of your milk crate nesting boxes if you wouldn't mind!