Nest size

[henless]

I'm in the process of building my coop. I plan on putting my nests on the wall with outside access for egg gathering. I picked up some plastic dish tubs at Walmart to line them with. They measure 11 1/4" wide and 13 3/4" long and 5 1/2" deep, inside the tub. Outside measurements are 12 1/2 wide and 15 1/2 long. The nests will be made out of wood with the tubs for liners for easy cleaning.

I plan on getting a mix of heritage type chickens, Orpingtons, Wyandotte, Austrolops and the like. They will be hatchery chickens since I don't know any breeders to get "real" heritage chickens from. Do ya'll think those will be big enough? Also, they are a dark red. I don't know if the color would be a problem or not.

The tubs are just like this one:

http://l.yimg.com/ck/image/A1058/1058306/300_1058306.jpg


What size nest do ya'll use?

 

[Hokum Coco]

Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new.

POOP BOARDS are the "BEST" addition yet. Handles well over ½ of the poop in my set up keeps ammonia smell in check 3½" below roost excellent for catching eggs laid through the night (roost are in cups for easier removal and cleaning). I recently friction fit a piece of vinyl flooring over my poop board.it makes clean up even easier; Pop out; Scrap; Hose; Pop in.

Winter months even easier flex over compost bin DONE!

Easy peasy!.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The color won’t be a problem. The size won’t be either.

I made mine 16” cubes. There have been times I’ve seen three hens crowded in there together. I have the same size hens you plan on. Don’t be surprised to see two hens sharing those tubs. It will be crowded but they will find a way.

When you build those boxes to hold the tubs, you might want to make them a little deeper than the minimum you think you need and keep the opening inside the coop up fairly high. That way they can vent instead of heat building up from the sun and making them an oven. With that opening inside the coop you keep rain and predators out.

 

[henless]

Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new.

POOP BOARDS are the "BEST" addition yet. Handles well over ½ of the poop in my set up keeps ammonia smell in check 3½" below roost excellent for catching eggs laid through the night (roost are in cups for easier removal and cleaning). I recently friction fit a piece of vinyl flooring over my poop board.it makes clean up even easier; Pop out; Scrap; Hose; Pop in.

The poop boards sound like a great idea! I plan on doing the deep litter method, but may try these also and see how it goes.

The color won’t be a problem. The size won’t be either.

I made mine 16” cubes. There have been times I’ve seen three hens crowded in there together. I have the same size hens you plan on. Don’t be surprised to see two hens sharing those tubs. It will be crowded but they will find a way.

When you build those boxes to hold the tubs, you might want to make them a little deeper than the minimum you think you need and keep the opening inside the coop up fairly high. That way they can vent instead of heat building up from the sun and making them an oven. With that opening inside the coop you keep rain and predators out.

Thanks for the advice. I'm converting one of my horse stalls into a coop, so it will be inside our barn. The nests will be sticking out into the barn aisle, so hopefully the sun will not be a factor on the nests themselves.