Nest Box Question

[Enchanted1s]

We are finally seeing the end of our new coop build!! It has taken me way to long! Anyway, I have the nest boxes framed in, but wanted to ask about size...

The frame out is 36 inches wide and 15 inches in height. My thought is to make three nest boxes - each would be 12 inches wide 15 inches tall - How deep should they be? Do you think 12 inches wide is OK? I could go with two boxes instead of three, making them 18 inches wide??

ALSO - I was thinking of building them with a flat top and a sliding door on the back for gathering. This would also give us some more space to sit things on. I know that the majority of nest boxes I have seen or read about are slanted on the top - is building it flat a really bad idea?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Will the flat top be inside the coop or outside? If outside, is it an area where the birds have access to? If outside what is your plan to prevent pooling of water/leakage at the top?

 

[jthornton]

I would make it a roll out nest box 36" wide. My top is sloped for two reasons, rain on the outside and keep the pullets from roosting on the inside. I've had as many as 4 pullets in the nest box at one time. With only one it is the favorite of all...



JT

 

[Enchanted1s]

Thanks. The boxes will be outside, the entrance for the girls will be inside. The area will be completely covered by the roof. I don't have a picture of the hole in the wall, but it is the wall in the middle of the pic. The door has not been hung yet but the landing board for them is attached under the hole in the wall. On the other end, I built storage area. Old coop on left - new one getting closer.

I wondered about them deciding to get up there, but I figured if I kept stuff there - maybe they wouldn't?


EDIT - I found a better picture of the nest box area.

 

[Ketty Ash]

We are finally seeing the end of our new coop build!! It has taken me way to long! Anyway, I have the nest boxes framed in, but wanted to ask about size...

The frame out is 36 inches wide and 15 inches in height. My thought is to make three nest boxes - each would be 12 inches wide 15 inches tall - How deep should they be? Do you think 12 inches wide is OK? I could go with two boxes instead of three, making them 18 inches wide??

ALSO - I was thinking of building them with a flat top and a sliding door on the back for gathering. This would also give us some more space to sit things on. I know that the majority of nest boxes I have seen or read about are slanted on the top - is building it flat a really bad idea?

We found that our chickens constantly used the flat top of their nesting boxes to poop on, making disgusting messes for us to scrape. We have switched to a slanted top. I think 12 inches deep should work fine.