Need help with nest box. My builder is gone.

[catsew]

Can anybody help me out with building the nest box? My BIL that was helping build the coop is now gone so I have to finish it myself. Luckily all I have left is the nest box and just have to attach the hardware cloth for the vent along the roof line.
I have in my head what it will look like, etc I'm just not sure how to actually start it. Do I need to build a frame and attach the plywood to that? And how do I attach it to the coop?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I have the opening as 38 inches. I believe I was planning 3 12-13 inch boxes, minus wood space, etc.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I am working on my nest box right now, too. I wish I could tell you an easy answer. I am using 2X4 lumber to frame it out first. But I had to be careful and really think about how the exterior siding is going to lay on it, and ended up doing it (IMO) the hard way. I have had to toenail in nearly all of my boards. There must be an easier way than that. I think the lumber makes it pretty heavy too- which it is holding up so far just fine... but after I get it sided, I think I will add decorative supports under it just to be safe and add a bit more 'cuteness' to it. I used this link to try to model my own after it.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=3845 I just kept looking at it and working on my own. If there is a better way- I sure wish I knew! You can check my own BYC Page under my profile picture to see how my nest box is coming along, but so far, I have just framed up the bottom part of it. I'm not sure I have the best picture of it either. Once I finish it here today- or tomorrow, I'll update my pictures. BTW- I've also seen people just build it out of plywood and put it in. But that worries me that it might not hold up over time. Though... I might be wrong, too!

In my picture- you can see how I laid the 2X4 flat so that it would be easier to add sheeting to it. But I think the link I post does it the other way. But I couldn't figure out how to do it that way without messing up how the sheeting would lay on the inside and the outside.

 

[catsew]

Wow, what an awesome coop that will be. I didn't even think to do the frame of the box like that. I'll have to see if it will work.
Do you know if furring strips will work instead of 2x4's? Or should I use the 2x4?

 

[Hawkeye95]

once you cut your 2X4's down- they don't really stick out that far- I think you're better off with the heavier lumber. I was worried about going too light and then having it ripped off in a wind storm. You might not have that problem where you live. But where I live, we often have wind storms in the spring and winter- and our winds go up to 70mph- some gusts higher than that! I just wanted to make this thing solid. That may be a much lesser concern for you. But I'd still recommend the 2X4 lumber. I'm also making my nesting boxes a bit bigger since I will have turkey hens using it, too. (they need larger boxes). So your box won't stick out as far as mine and will be a lot more secure and tighter looking. I'm worried about a bit of sag (hasnt' happened...yet) since my boxes come out so far. But like I said, I'm going to add decorative support under them after I put on the siding for a bit of flair and to ease the load. Don't know if it will really need that (it seems strong)- but I always like to play it safe.

 

[rhackenb]

How many chickens are you trying to accommodate? I have three nesting compartments in my tractor coop for 14 chickens and they seem to be comfortable with that.

I simply took the framed space available (probably closer to 46 inches) and erected two dividers made of thin plywood. The only support for each divider is a right-angle shelf bracket. This isn't very strong but it isn't an issue because the chickens don't put any pressure on it. These serve more for privacy than for structural strength. I would attach the bracket to the plywood with short nuts and bolts instead of a screw because the screw will poke out and also not much holding power. Access to the nesting boxes is via a door on the outside. On the inside I put a 4 inch strip of plywood across all three boxes at floor level. This adds additional privacy and also keeps the straw from bleeding out into the main coop.

You can see the design at http://www.instructables.com/id/Large-Tractor-Coop/.

Here are a couple of photos:

 

[catsew]

Eventually I would like 6-8. I know they said people usually make too many nest boxes and they sometimes only end up sharing 1, so 3 should be plenty. Right now we only have 3 total, one being a baby, one a definite rooster, and one a maybe. So the nest box may not even be used for a long time yet.

 

[Judy]

Unless it's an exterior nest box, the simple solution is pick up a kitty litter pan or similar plastic container. One would be enough even for 6 or 8 as two could share. Solves the perennial problem of building 6 and having them use only 1 or 2. Or turn a 5 gallon bucket on its side. I have yet to build a nest box from scratch. If you are planning an exterior one, you will have to deal with predator proofing and water proofing it.

 

[catsew]

Yes it will be exterior. And will have 3 separate partitions.

 

[catsew]

Quote:
Although maybe closing up the hole and doing this instead would a better idea. Especially with only maybe 1 hen. Then next year if/when we eventually get more hens, I could build the exterior box.

 

[Ole rooster]

If you look at the nest box I did its all plywood. No frame other than the plywood, unless you mean the frame in the coop for the boxes. I had a 58 inch opening I framed out and put in 3 dividers to make 3 boxes 14X14X16 deep with one 13 inched wide. It came out that way using 3/4 inch plywood.