nesting box height?

[Stegs]

Hey guys, new to the forum, ive been posting a few times in the michigan thread

Wondering from all of you, what height should i have my nesting boxes at?


I heard that some people have them up about shoulder height and the chickens just fly up there no problem

others ive heard have them down low


Wondering if it makes any difference for the chickens?

I have mine about chest/shoulder height

My 15 week old buffs dont go in them yet, but its early for them.


I did "foster' some year old laying hens for about a week.....they flew up there no problem and laid eggs


Just curious if chickens prefer it up high or closer down low.......again mine are chest/shoulder high (nice because i dont have to bend down to clean/get eggs and i hang the feeder/water from below)

let me know....im hopefully a few weeks away from my first eggs....want to make sure its right

 

[sourland]

For me the 'chest/shoulder' height works far better than bending over.

The most important thing about nesting boxes is to make sure they are not higher than the roosts.

 

[Stegs]

For me the 'chest/shoulder' height works far better than bending over.

The most important thing about nesting boxes is to make sure they are not higher than the roosts.

can you explain what you mean "not higher" than the roosts?


in my coop i have a 2x4 on end to some 4x4 post. This is about 12" above the ground where they roost now. Is this not good?

 

[sourland]

Chickens generally like to roost at the highest point available. If the nest boxes are higher than the roost, they may start sleeping in the nest boxes and pooping in them.

 

[Stegs]

Chickens generally like to roost at the highest point available. If the nest boxes are higher than the roost, they may start sleeping in the nest boxes and pooping in them.

well right now they roost on the 2x4 about 1 foot up...they are not using the nexting boxes yet...i suppose if i find them wanting to roost in the nesting boxes i can always raise the roost pole...


But as far as getting up to nesting boxes or roosting post....chickens like to be up high? so having both up high wouldnt hurt anything

 

[Ridgerunner]

You’ll find people care about nest height more than chickens do, unless you have Silkies that can’t fly. Then you can have issues.

Some people like them up high so they don’t have to bend over to get the eggs. Do you have a bad back? Some people are quite happy putting a milk crate or cardboard box on the floor in a corner, putting bedding in it, and calling it a nest. Many people are somewhere in between. Some people have strong preferences in what they think a nest has to be but others don’t worry about it.

Chickens often like to roost as high as they can get. My method to determine height is to decide how high the floor will be with bedding if you use bedding. Then position the nests wherever you want them. Then put the roosts higher. It doesn’t always cause a problem to not have the roosts higher than the nests but it often does. Having the roosts higher is a real common recommendation on here because you can run into problems if you don’t. “Can” does not mean always but in this case it means often.

 

[Stegs]

You’ll find people care about nest height more than chickens do, unless you have Silkies that can’t fly. Then you can have issues.

Some people like them up high so they don’t have to bend over to get the eggs. Do you have a bad back? Some people are quite happy putting a milk crate or cardboard box on the floor in a corner, putting bedding in it, and calling it a nest. Many people are somewhere in between. Some people have strong preferences in what they think a nest has to be but others don’t worry about it.

Chickens often like to roost as high as they can get. My method to determine height is to decide how high the floor will be with bedding if you use bedding. Then position the nests wherever you want them. Then put the roosts higher. It doesn’t always cause a problem to not have the roosts higher than the nests but it often does. Having the roosts higher is a real common recommendation on here because you can run into problems if you don’t. “Can” does not mean always but in this case it means often.

great info....maybe this weekends project is to lower the nesting boxes and raise the roosting pole.

Thanks all for the info!

 

[Hokum Coco]

Wondering from all of you, what height should i have my nesting boxes at?

I have mine @ 24".




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. Feed bags are a nylon mesh bag.
Frozen poop just peels off in below freezing temperatures and just flakes off in summer when left out in the sun to bake and dry.

I have 65 trips around the sun it is the best method I have stumbled upon.

Make sure the twine is removed from the open end of the bag it can get tangled around your birds.