Nesting boxes at the ground level of the coop

[rawsjb]

I have just built a coop; my first! I have built 4 nesting boxes on the ground level. The roost will be higher. The whole coop is 2 feet off the ground. Will my chickens like the coop ground level nesting boxes? I have seen designs where the boxes are off the ground and fewer where they are at ground level. Any expereince to share about this? Many thanks.

 

[La Mike]

I have a coop box and i use milk crates that sit on the ground
They use both about the same
My dominiques prefer the milk cratse lol

 

[dacjohns]

I prefer my boxes above ground level. I have one set at ground level that gets full of the floor litter from all the scratching the chickens do. If you plan on broodies though ground level is initially better for the little guys right after they hatch. They can get back home without any problems.

Also having the boxes above ground level makes for more floor space.

 

[Quadog]

Mine are at ground level with a 1x6 in front to keep floor debris out. They all seem to like it just fine.

 

[mustangruss]

My girls seem to like above ground more.

 

[Nostalchic]

I have two rows of nests, one at ground level (with a lip so the nesting material doesn't get kicked out) and one row stacked above, and my hens lay in both about equally. I don't see any particular advantage to one or the other as long as they are both below the roost height, EXCEPT that it is a lot easier to reach in to collect the eggs in the higher nests, especially if one is way back in a corner (which of course is the one most preferred!) And that COULD be a big issue depending on the condition of one's knees, etc.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Mine are ground level. My sister told me not to go to any extent making nest boxes because they don't always use them. So I designed it in a way so that when they roost the poop does not get in the nesting area. I have a cat carrier that I had used for an injured bird that was in the coop. Before I could get it out, they started laying in it. I left it because I can take the whole thing out and clean it.

 

[rawsjb]

Thanks so much for everyone's input. Great forum and great help.

 

[dacjohns]

Even with a lip on the boxes the litter still enters the boxes in copius amounts. My litter is pretty deep too. My birds are pretty good at using the boxes.

So it all depends on lots of things like litter depth, box construction, your ability to bend and stoop, your personal preference.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to this forum. Glad you are here.

The chickens usually don't care all that much. The most important thing about nesting boxes is their convenience for you. The chickens are looking for a place they feel comfortable laying their eggs. Most people raise them to help keep them cleaner and to make them easier to gather the eggs as others already mentioned. If they are high enough that the chicken can comfortably get under them, then they do not count against the coop space requirements. As long as your coop is not small for the number of chickens you have, that does not matter. And if your roosts are higher than the nesting boxes, the chickens should not sleep in them and foul them with excrement. I'd suggest just putting a fake egg in each and enjoy.

You will probably find more variety in what our nesting boxes look like than anything else, except the variety of our coops.