Nest box lining

[sadie423]

We started with straw- but they kicked it all out at the beginning- when they were like 8-10 weeks. We left them empty up until 16 weeks....when we put shavings in. They kicked most of those out too (we do have a lip around the outside but it isn't helping to keep it in). The boxes are on the floor still, double stacked- 3 on bottom 3 on top. The bottom boxes keep feathers and bedding (and poop) since they scratch and kick it back in. BUt they seems to near empty the top ones. Esp the few we have laying now. The boxes are plastic crates so I know it can't be the most comfortable thing to sit on. What else can I cover it with?? I tried lining the bottoms with newspaper- should have known they would scratch it to pieces. One is now jumping over the 4 ft partition wall between their area and the storage/people door area and laying her eggs in the corner under a leaning board, on an empty trash bag!

Should I try the straw again? When I was shredding paper the other day I was wondering if I could us that? I did see some eating the newspaper pieces so I am a little weary of adding more paper to their diet....

On another note....do they stop playing in the nests so much when they start to lay?? We have so many non layers just mucking around in them getting them dirty!

Sarah

 

[Davaroo]

The lip needs to be 4" tall.

The other thing is to cover the opening of the nest with a curtain of some sort. Just a light weight material like burlap will do. Allow 2" between it and the litter lip.
Chickens don't move around much in a darkened nest. That in itself goes a long way to reducing the litter "kickout."

They also need a perching rail 3" away from the nest opening so they can peer in and make sure all is in order before they enter. There is a whole ritual they go through with this.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Hay works good for nest boxes.

 

[dacjohns]

Paper will pack down too much and collect the droppings making a big yucky mess.

 

[sadie423]

The lip is about 2 in, and there is a perch a few inches out in front (even on the bottom, for if we do even get around to hanging it). I'll try the hay again- come to think of it....it was probably hay and not straw to begin with.....

Sarah

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Well , we put all our nesting boxes on one wall and our roosting perches on opposite wall . NO POOP that way in my boxes and a ALOT less mess . The nesting boxes are these deep black coke a cola carrying containers . THEY WORK GREAT .


I have pine shavings thru out the coop , NEST and all . was told hay or straw will bring in mites and flies from being damp and once big big mess.

I sprinkle Lime in the shavings to help with any bateria smell and flies . SO FAR , NO SMELL , NO FLIES , and hardly no mess .


I DO NOT put any food in coop , just plenty of water . THEY eat all they want to inside the run .

All they do is lay , perch and sleep in the coop .

I have only 4 layers right now , 3 almost ready to lay and 29 teens that are 12 - 14 weeks old .

 

[Poison Ivy]

I cut a piece of carpet to go in the nest boxes and then lay hay on top of it. They stay clean but mine are up off the ground and my girls don't hang out in the coop. They are only in it for sleeping and to lay their eggs.

 

[Davaroo]

Thats me and I dont even bother with carpet, A piece of cardboard or heavy paper will do nicely.

 

[birdy_num_nums]

In the nest box thread it looked like someone used fake, plastic grass 'carpet'- would that suffice? Seems like it would be fluffy for the hens, soft for the eggs, and easy to clean for the people.

Pros? Cons? Yeay? Nay?

Thanks!

 

[Mattake2]

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