Nestbox Plans

[CoyoteMagic]

Anybody got some nestbox plans you are willing to share?

 

[firechicken]

Make a box.

 

[lacyloo]

eith a hole cut in one side,lol

 

[firechicken]

Then insert chicken. lol

 

[Chelly]

Are you looking for something specific? I dont' think the chickens really care if its fancy or not - mine are getting a very old wooden box used to store books!

 

[mdbucks]

I took the back off of old kitchen cabinets, and put dividers in. put the doors facing out so i dont have to go into coop to get eggs. shelves about a foot deep, and divided one shelf in 3 the other in two, chickens prefer the tighter boxes I guess they feel safer I left part more open so they wouldn't feel cramped the top row is blocked off with feed bags to keep nonlayers from roosting there. I also built a landing board so they wouldn't fly into boxes

 

[greginshasta]

I recently visited with a Mexican guy who has raised chickens since he was a kid. Some of them used a milk crate with one side cut out. Others used a wooden box about 12 wide by 18 deep and about 12-15 high. The front had a 1x4 at the bottom so that the nesting materials would not pour out and so the chicken could get in. This is far from rocket science as far as I can tell...


To coin a phrase, build the box and they will lay...

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
OOOOOh That's really cool! Wish I was talented enough of a carpenter to handle something like that.

 

[mdbucks]

wasn't hard just removing 3/8 ply from back, infact used that for dividers, ripped 1x10 for wide front boards to keep nesting inside box

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
I'm beginning to think mine are never going to lay! Patience isn't one of my qualities!! They are just now 19 weeks. All but one has developed pretty large and really red combs. The one that isn't is my "special ed" chicken.

Should I put my boxes closer to the ground than my roosts? I'm finding that someone has been roosting in one of the crates that is up higher. Thinking of maybe turning the crates on their side, then laying a board over the top to keep them from using them.

OR should I take the boxes out all together until I actually find some eggs?!