nesting box questions

[TheBeardie]

I have some 6 to 7 month old chickens free range during the day, one Easter Egger hen, one red star hen and a Dominique rooster, and older chickens penned, one barred rock hen, one silver laced hen, one black buff orpington hen, three Rhode island red hens and one frizzle rooster. On with the questions. What should I use for a nesting box, a old milk crate? a old 5 gallon bucket? Both? (DENALI # 2 post
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/41108/show-us-your-nest-boxes-ingenous-design-post-it-here ) or something different altogether? Question number two where should I put the nest boxes for the free range hens? In trees? On the ground? Under bush's? In there favorite places? What should I put in the nesting boxes? Hay? Wood chips?
Bonus Questions!!!

Do you think my newer hens will start laying during the winter time? Or will they wait to start when it gets warm?

P.S sorry for all the questions. Thanks in advanced

 

[mtngirl35]

Almost anything will work for nesting boxes. I use plastic bins from Walmart. I use pine shavings in my nesting boxes but that is personal preference. Hay makes me have sneezing fits. I can't free range so I can only assume that the nesting boxes would go in the coop. Maybe a free-ranger will chime in with some input on that. As for laying, my first batch of chickens started laying in late October. My second batch started laying in late November. My third batch is 19 weeks old and are not laying yet, but I'm hopeful it will be soon. Once my girls started laying they kept it up all winter. Hope this helps.

 

[goodbyddy13]

. I use milk rates they work well. Just cut a section out of the front and let the good times roll

 

[TheBeardie]

So I found where my red star is laying today!!!! She had three eggs in there. She is laying in a bad place with crab traps and wires every where in my grandmas yard.how can I discourage her to stop laying there?
The pretty eggs!!

I hope my E.E is/starts laying soon