nest box leaking - ideas?

[Casey3043]

I have the same type of nest box, but the front opens instead of the top. There is enough overhang that water does not run back along the underside of the top. Even though it does not close real tightly, I have never had a problem with water getting inside. Maybe you could rework yours so that the front opens instead of the top. Also, there is a good roof overhang that protects the place where the box joins the house.

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[Amethyste]

We have been enjoying the same lovely wet weather

What we did was to take left over linoleium from the flooring that we did inside th house, and staple a sheet over the external nestingbox. We stapled the sheet vertically on the wall jsut above it, and caulked it well. Then we just cut it to size so that there was a border all around the nesting box lid...so it just lays over the top.

That way when we lift the lid, the box is stil dry on the inside...the lino acts as a second skin.

It lasted well... about 4 years before we needed to redo it. We just did it this year...and no issues at all

 

[Echos_dad]

I used car-door seals around the inside of the box and along the top where the lid meets the walls. Also, I used strap hinges instead of piano hinges to give a little more clearance.

 

[Monk]

Try a flap of rubber screwed to the wall above your hinge, add bead of silicone caulking along where the rubber flap is screwed to the wall. Position the flap so it extends well over the hinge. Also maybe replace the top with a larger one that extends an inch or more al the way around. Even add trim inside the nesting boxes along the top. Just a few suggestions base on what I can see from the pics provided.
I don't like the lid type door style, mine opens on the front...

 

[eastbaychicks]

It's hard to say without seeing the entire coop... like what is over the nesting box... but like others.... I would put money it is the hinge. We're building a coop now and I found that others with a lift top door had issues so we've built it like it's a cabinet. Also on the north side of the building. The south side, by far gets all the wind driven rain for us.

I would suggest weatherstripping all the way around the top of the vertical pieces. Give it a good test run with a hose too... should be easy to fix.

 

[Peeplperson]

We used a piece of roof flashing on top of the piano hinge and under a layer of shingles.

It extends into the nesting boxes on top, but is bent to hug the inside wall. The hinge still works, and water can't get in.

Good luck!

 

[DarkWolf]

Here is mine... It has a 1/2" lip along the sides and a 3/4" overhang at the front.

Looks like your lid does not offer enough coverage at all.

That said, a little foresight in planning helps keep any water issues out. This is the full coop. Can see how far the side overhang is.. 90% of the time rain never touches the box, unless it's a good blowing rain.. Still stays nice and dry though.

I can not tell how much of an overhang you have, but if water is dripping down over that hinge, it will surely leak there. Get yourself a bike inner tube and cut a section then split it so that it's flat. Staple it to the side of the coop over a good bead of silicon and then staple it down past the end of the hinge.