Nesting box

[Leov]

My coop did not come with a nesting box. I have 6- 12 week old chickens that will start laying in September. Hopefully
Im about to build a double nesting box. My questions are
1) can it be next to where they sleep/roost/— there is a cut out there and it seems like it belongs there, but could be wrong.
2) does it need to be lined with straw? ( i was going to use 2 new paint trays and put down Astro turf in them - eggs would roll out to back.)
Is this sound like a bad idea?
thanks in advance!!
Leo

 

[black_cat]

It's ok if it's next to where they roost! You want to make sure that it's lower than the roost, so that they don't sleep in the nesting box. You also probably don't want it to be directly under the roost, as they poop a LOT at night. You want it to have something that they can make a little nest in-so pine shavings or straw could be good. Having a roll away nesting box is great, just make sure that you can easily access the eggs, and the birds can't.

 

[Leov]

It's ok if it's next to where they roost! You want to make sure that it's lower than the roost, so that they don't sleep in the nesting box. You also probably don't want it to be directly under the roost, as they poop a LOT at night. You want it to have something that they can make a little nest in-so pine shavings or straw could be good. Having a roll away nesting box is great, just make sure that you can easily access the eggs, and the birds can't.

Thanks so much!! So I could lower it a bit but the entrance way to the nest box is still going to be thru the roosting section. Here’s a pic of the coop. Their is a panel on the left side with a piece of white tape. That pane would come off and I would have to enlarge it a bit. But the only way to enter would be thru their roost. So concerned how they would take to it. Also, everyone talks about stuff to put down like shavings but that you should then remove the shavings from the roosting area. So confused.

 

[black_cat]

Thanks so much!! So I could lower it a bit but the entrance way to the nest box is still going to be thru the roosting section. Here’s a pic of the coop. Their is a panel on the left side with a piece of white tape. That pane would come off and I would have to enlarge it a bit. But the only way to enter would be thru their roost. So concerned how they would take to it. Also, everyone talks about stuff to put down like shavings but that you should then remove the shavings from the roosting area. So confused.

So you're saying that the only way for them to access it would be to hop on the roost and go through there? That's completely fine. When people say to remove the shavings from the roosting area, they are usually talking about poop boards, which go under the roost and catch all the poop that they do at night, so that it doesn't dirty the rest of the bedding. You will also have to replace the bedding in the coop every once in a while, anyway. They'll take to it just fine, as long as it looks like a good, safe spot for them to nest. You can also put some fake eggs or golf balls in as decoys. They like to lay where other chickens have laid, even if it's just you putting golf balls in there

 

[Leov]

So you're saying that the only way for them to access it would be to hop on the roost and go through there? That's completely fine. When people say to remove the shavings from the roosting area, they are usually talking about poop boards, which go under the roost and catch all the poop that they do at night, so that it doesn't dirty the rest of the bedding. You will also have to replace the bedding in the coop every once in a while, anyway. They'll take to it just fine, as long as it looks like a good, safe spot for them to nest. You can also put some fake eggs or golf balls in as decoys. They like to lay where other chickens have laid, even if it's just you putting golf balls in there

Yea, the roosting bars are technically only 2” from the rest of the straw. ( not a brilliant design) so they’re actually say in a square box full of straw with two bars to perch ( which I haven’t seen them do the perching yet. They typically all huddle together in a corner. So from that room, they would step down say 2” into the nesting boxes. I’ll try that. Not sure if I should bother with the paint trays etc. as if there’s no straw for them to lay on, they may not be happy little chickens

 

[black_cat]

Yea, the roosting bars are technically only 2” from the rest of the straw. ( not a brilliant design) so they’re actually say in a square box full of straw with two bars to perch ( which I haven’t seen them do the perching yet. They typically all huddle together in a corner. So from that room, they would step down say 2” into the nesting boxes. I’ll try that. Not sure if I should bother with the paint trays etc. as if there’s no straw for them to lay on, they may not be happy little chickens

I don't think that you need the paint trays. Bedding will probably be just fine. You may want to put them on their roosts at night-they could accidentally suffocate each other when all huddled in a corner. How old are they? You'll know that they're getting ready to lay when their combs get very bright red, they start squatting, and they become more interested in the nest boxes. You just have to make sure that they seem like a good, safe place to lay.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Where I circled is where we put the nesting box. We, for now, just have 1 big box. Hoping they wont mind sharing but if they do we will add dividers. It is by where they roost. So far I only have 1 laying chicken but she uses it just fine. We are also going to add another on the other side directly across.

 

[black_cat]

Where I circled is where we put the nesting box. We, for now, just have 1 big box. Hoping they wont mind sharing but if they do we will add dividers. It is by where they roost. So far I only have 1 laying chicken but she uses it just fine. We are also going to add another on the other side directly across.

That looks good! You may want dividers, because if someone sits in the middle, there won't be enough space on the sides!

 

[Mamatomany123]

That looks good! You may want dividers, because if someone sits in the middle, there won't be enough space on the sides!

Yeah, I saw my 1 layer in there today and she tries to take up the whole box. Hopefully we will cool down eventually to add dividers. Today was 116

 

[black_cat]

Yeah, I saw my 1 layer in there today and she tries to take up the whole box. Hopefully we will cool down eventually to add dividers. Today was 116

WOW that is hot! Make sure that your birds don't get heat stroke! You could also give them some frozen fruits or veggies as treats to help beat the heat, provided you have some grit to help them digest.