My novel nesting boxes are totally doing it for me

[Shell from Zim]

Hi Everyone,

I have been dreaming up a proper chook home that I can be proud to call by its proper name of 'Hukumatapa', and magically all the parts are starting to align! I have a very long way to go still and I'm sort of working backwards with no diy skills but I will get there.

On Tuesday a friend donated his ex aviary and these stunning Shona pots, and today a friend donated a whole stack of items to the cause including roof sheets, wooden flooring offcuts, shelving and this shoe rack. In the last 30 minutes my nesting boxes have come together seamlessly. I just love them... and I'm so hopeful that they make my hens happy. I still have a few days of graft before I can get a verdict from them So please cross fingers and hold thumbs that

it was a functional as well as creative call

 

[Shell from Zim]

Whoops.. way to split up the final sentence You should see my carpentry

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

looks really cool!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm sure they'll like them. My Cornish bantams love a rubber horse bucket as their nesting box

 

[LadiesAndJane]

These are beautiful. What a unique nest box idea (sure beats my 5 gallon buckets from the local hardware store...)

 

[3KillerBs]

Hens are nowhere near as picky as we chicken keepers are. It's a nice, dark place full of comfy nest material -- should be good.

My only concern with them might be that the ones on the ground could become damp if the ground is wet in a rainy season.

 

[centrarchid]

I use 5-gallon buckets in a similar manner. A key difference that may be worth exploring is using crushed oyster shell or coarse sand in lieu of your current nesting material. The denser materials will stay in place better as hens and sometimes rooster scratch out nest bowl to their liking.

 

[Shell from Zim]

I'm sure they'll like them. My Cornish bantams love a rubber horse bucket as their nesting box

Please show us.. sounds so cute

 

[JacinLarkwell]

They were all broody in this pic

 

[Shell from Zim]

Hens are nowhere near as picky as we chicken keepers are. It's a nice, dark place full of comfy nest material -- should be good.

My only concern with them might be that the ones on the ground could become damp if the ground is wet in a rainy season.

I have the same concern.. however they are traditionally used to brew mahewu, which is a traditional Shona, non alcoholic drink made from maize meal. I am hoping that, since they are waterproof and hold liquid without seepage that that would also apply in reverse. Fingers xed hahaha.. definitely an experiment