Nest boxes with curtains?

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

I've been waiting for winter to end, mud to dry, and my DH to move the coop to our farm. So, for the last four months I've been reading 8 chicken books, drawing plans, and dreaming about how to set up the inside of the coop. Obsessed is an understatement.

I've made curtains for the nest boxes thinking the chickens will enjoy them.

Just how crazy is this? I could just not use them.

 

[b.hromada]

Thats not crazy! I use a sheet to cover the nest box for my girls. It kind of makes it more private for them!

 

[fiberart57]

I had part of a plastic garbage bag covering my nest box for a while and it got torn down in some chicken play. I thought I'd leave it off but then the girls were very vocal in their concern about the lack of privacy so I cut a piece of dark canvas, duct taped the edges for frays and put a more permanent curtain up. They wanted it, they got it.

Mary

 

[Schroeder]

I used a burlap sack with slits cut into it. You can't see it in this picture, but I tucked the bottom up into the top seam on 1 of the 3 nests. This provides some, but not total privacy. This seems to be the one they prefer.

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

Quote:
I like your curtain!!

What's that pipe with holes in it??

 

[Schroeder]

Thats my PVC feeder, made from plans I found on this forum. I tilted it slightly off horizontal to help the food fall to the bottom. For 7 hens and 1 rooster, I only have to fill it about once a week.

 

[fiberart57]

Don't you worry that your chickens will eat or otherwise destroy the threads coming from the sack, Schroeder? I duct taped my fabric thinking that they would hurt themselves with it by eating it, getting crop bound, etc...

Mary

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

Quote:
I'm going to look for the directions! That feeder is cool!!

And, someone just asked about the chickens eating the threads of your curtains. Is that a problem?

 

[medtec113]

I have realy been considering doing something similar. Do the chickens have any trouble finding the nest are do you cover it later after they know what it is? I would like to see pics of others who have done the same.

 

[Schroeder]

They have unraveled it a fair amount in about 9 months time, but the sacks are so cheap I'm not concerned about the damage. I hadn't really thought about the chickens ingesting the burlap fibers. Maybe someone else can chime in as to whether eating the fibers is a concern.