Nest boxes that hens can't eat eggs?

[SuburbanChickFarmer]

I am looking for plans or ideas for making nest boxes that once the hens lay, the eggs are out of reach! I have 11 hens and unless I am home, which is only weekends, I don't get any eggs because they have eaten them by the time I get off work! I figure if I can make nest boxes that separates them from their eggs, I might just get enough to make an omlet! Any ideas or plans?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You can buy rollaway nest boxes- or have you decided for sure you are building them?

 

[sklr112]

Hmm, not sure. Maybe it would be easier to solve the problem as to why they are eating them. Did you try feeding them oyster shells for more calcium? As for the actual box... I'm thinking that maybe tilting the floor of the nest box so the eggs will roll back into the back of the box/separate compartment so they couldn't eat them. Im not sure. Maybe more engineering is needed.

 

[midget_farms]

Yes - the roll aways will work - its basically the same as a standard nest box except the floor is tilted back & there is a gap under the rear wall where the eggs will roll after the hen gets up. You place aritifical turf or some other smooth soft surface so the eggs can roll but not break.

 

[mgw]

There are some folks built on this site somewhere use the search tool. Can you get a neihbor or a freind to collect eggs for you during the week. Egg eating is a bad and near unbreakable habit.

 

[brounii]

Hi SuburbanChickFarmer

Here is a link to Opa's roll away nest boxes. He has some really great pictures to help you figure it out. Good luck!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=287684