Nest Box Preferences? Floor vs Raised / Interior vs Exterior

[kuntrygirl]

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I'm going to start with Orps, Brahmas, Wyandottes, EEs, and hopefully Marans and Welsummers, just 3 of each breed until I figure out which ones I like best. They're all pretty good sized birds, but I'm thinking they should all be able to jump up to an 18" raised nest box, especially if I put a landing spot in front of them?

Oh yea, they'll be fine. Shouldn't be a problem at all. Take a pic and post once you have built them. Would love to see them.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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I can't help you with that question because the chicken roosts are in a separate building. They do not roost in the same place where they lay eggs.

My broodies have their own private area. Someone on another thread asked about this. I had a special outside brooder built for my broody girls. I think that broodies should have their own special/private area while they are setting on eggs.

 

[RiddleMe]

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I can't help you with that question because the chicken roosts are in a separate building. They do not roost in the same place where they lay eggs.

My broodies have their own private area. Someone on another thread asked about this. I had a special outside brooder built for my broody girls. I think that broodies should have their own special/private area while they are setting on eggs.

I'm planning a nice quiet area for any broodies, with their own private, but adjoining the main run, so once the chicks are big enough to go outside, they will have a safe area but can see the rest of the flock (hoping that will help with future integration?). This is all still in the planning stage as I haven't actually gotten my chicks yet! But I'd rather build once and do it right if at all possible, vs having to go back and modify.

Since you have both interior and exterior boxes, which do you prefer, or once they're built, is there really no difference?

 

[kuntrygirl]

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I can't help you with that question because the chicken roosts are in a separate building. They do not roost in the same place where they lay eggs.

My broodies have their own private area. Someone on another thread asked about this. I had a special outside brooder built for my broody girls. I think that broodies should have their own special/private area while they are setting on eggs.

I'm planning a nice quiet area for any broodies, with their own private, but adjoining the main run, so once the chicks are big enough to go outside, they will have a safe area but can see the rest of the flock (hoping that will help with future integration?). This is all still in the planning stage as I haven't actually gotten my chicks yet! But I'd rather build once and do it right if at all possible, vs having to go back and modify.

Since you have both interior and exterior boxes, which do you prefer, or once they're built, is there really no difference?

Well to be honest, there is really no difference . As long as their are laying eggs, then there is really no problem. I have attached below a pic of a nesting box that was built over the weekend. I have an outside coop (outside the Big Chicken Yard) where about 20 girls reside. I put these 2 new nesting boxes in their area and would you believe that they only lay eggs in 1 of the nesting boxes. They stand in line and wait until one of the girls come out and then some of them just barge in and pile on the side of another hen that is trying to lay an egg.

Since this group loved these boxes so much, I will be taking out a few of the older nesting boxes in the chicken house and building about 6 more of these nesting boxes in a row/attached to one another. These will be elevated off of the ground. Will also make more of these to re-place the nesting boxes on the ground.

 

[RiddleMe]

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I like your nest box design, very nice.

 

[babsbag]

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Do you have Cornish X that lay eggs, or are they just sleeping in the boxes? I thought that breed seldom lived past "chickhood" and never laid eggs. Just curious. Please enlighten me

 

[BrattishTaz]

I am building stacked external nest boxes. I was going to put the bottom one at floor level until I heard someone say the find snakes in their's. Next to the nest boxes will be slightly larger external boxes with caged fronts for hen & chicks, slightly injured birds, or naughty birds that need to be temporarily separated. I am hoping it will work.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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I like your nest box design, very nice.

Thank you.

 

[Judy]

Every one of my nest boxes is from something scrounged around here. They have such different preferences -- low, high, open top, open front, big plastic bin, little wooden dark place, etc. I have 6 at present, and they are mostly using a hole they wallowed out in a pile of straw in a corner of the coop. I'm just glad they consistently use the coop.

 

[Lollipop]

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Just wanna add that your broody nests should be floor level for entry/exit for the chicks. All of my nest boxes are individual and movable so I can move a broody, nest and all, to the maternity pens, but that won`t usually work with outside access. Think a lot and have few regrets.......Pop