Nesting boxes made from removable dish bins?

[breege]

I am building my first nest boxes for the coop. The 3 nest boxes will be internal to the coop, but I have an access door on the outside wall that allows access to the back of the nest boxes to collect the eggs.

The nest box design I am thinking about building is based on using plastic dish pan/bins from the Dollar Tree. The bins would be set on rails and the bin itself would be removable. I have read some old threads on this concept and have watched a few YouTube videos about this concept.

Advantages: Removable bins, easy to clean and/or replace, broody hen can be moved with bin and eggs all at once, plastic dish bins are only $1 each.

Disadvantages: ??? Nobody mentions any disadvantages of this concept.

If anyone has some disadvantages to using these plastic dish bins for nesting boxes, please let me know. Or, if any has some built next boxes with this concept and it works just fine, I would like to know that too. Thanks.

We put in the plastic bins & I really like them! We don't have them on rails, just nestled inside an individual, oversized "nest box". It gets really cold (-20+C) here in winter, so the ladies push a bunch of the nesting material between the bin and the opening as extra insulation.
I'd suggest getting getting 2 for each. That way you can be cleaned & drying while the replacement is immediately put to use.
A couple of extra spares doesn't hurt either

 

[gtaus]

We put in the plastic bins & I really like them! … I'd suggest getting getting 2 for each. That way you can be cleaned & drying while the replacement is immediately put to use. A couple of extra spares doesn't hurt either

Exactly, at $1 per bin, even I can afford to have extras on hand for cleaning or replacement.

 

[aart]

Nice proportions and perch.
Are bins suspended on side rails or also touching on bottom of bin?

Might want to put some blocks at the blue spot, on both sides of bins,
so when birds step on red front edge the bin doesn't tip.

 

[gtaus]

OK, not seeing an anti-tip bar...but glad you tested it.

Yeah, the anti-tip bar is there but hard to see if you don't know it's there. Tested fine.

 

[gtaus]

Based the whole new design of my chicken coop on using $2.00 plastic bins. Husband designed the wooden structure to hold them. It will hold six bins but I currently just have four in them (the chickens are only using three!). They are fabulous! I use wood shavings, so if the chickens make a mess in the bin, I just dump the shavings and use the hose to rinse out the bin. I just toss in a couple of handfuls of shavings, and back in business! I don't have access from the back wall, I just walk into the coop and collect eggs that way.

Glad to hear that it works for you. I'm really leaning towards the plastic bin nest box design.

 

[gtaus]

My pullets aren't laying yet, so I don't know how much of a mess you tend to get in nest boxes.

My chicks are only 9 weeks old, so I have yet to experience if they will mess up the next boxes, or not. But I would imagine it doesn't make a difference if the nest box was wood, metal, or plastic as far as the hens messing up the nest box. At least with the plastic bin design, it would be very easy to remove the bin and clean it out. Also, if I find the girls are sleeping and messing in the nest box, I'll probably put up a barrier at night to prevent overnight sleeping.

 

[gtaus]

I used file crates until I decided to male external boxes to free up room in my coop.

I live in northern Minnesota. I have been told by many locals that I should have the nest boxes internal to the coop because our winters are too long, too cold, and the external boxes just don't work so good for our area. The access door on the external wall allows me to access the eggs inside, but in the winter, I can staple plastic over the outside door to make it airtight. I can still access the eggs from inside the coop.

Having said that, I have framed my chicken coop walls where I could easily build the external nest boxes if I find I need more room in the coop.

 

[gtaus]

My concern would be that they would be slippery ... that the shavings would just scoot out of the way, when they hop in ... maybe a tight bunch of straw or a piece of old carpet could/would work ...

I thought about that too. But I have never heard anyone reporting any problems. Which is why I have asked about potential disadvantages of using the plastic dish bins as nest boxes. The bins I purchased are 4 1/2 inches deep, so I don't think the shavings would be flying out of the bin when the chicken jumps in.

 

[gtaus]

That coop is getting a makeover with external communal boxes very soon.

So, are you giving up on the plastic bin design for something you think will be better? What is the external communal box design? Thanks.

 

[jkrueger]

I have been using plastic dish bins for 3 years. I only have 2 nest boxes since I can only have 6 chickens per our city ordinance. I fill bottom with fine pine shavings from Tractor Supply Co. Very easy to clean and disinfect if needed. In fact I usually just dump the shavings when it looks bad or someone pooped in it. I do put a generous amount in about 3-4 inches. With less I did have some issues with eggs breaking and Someone eating them. Good luck. I go for cheap anytime I can.