Nesting boxes (please post a picture/ design)

[chicken girl 8]

these are great! LOVING THEM!

Does anyone have more?

 

[ll]

 

[cupman]

I use old flower pots with hay in them. Deep enough so the chickens can't see out when they are nesting... gives them the security to lay. I keep 5 in my coop and 3 more in my run.

 

[ShoreBird]

We purchased five 18 gallon storage containers on sale for $4 each. We cut a hole in the side and put pine shavings on the bottom of each. We lined them up on a shelf that is sitting off the floor on top of 4 cinder blocks. The lids allow easy access for cleaning and collecting eggs. The laying hens have kept the boxes clean so far. These replaced our wooden row of traditional-style nesting boxes that had an open top as some of our chickens and our roosters were using them to sleep in and perch on at night, and kept pooping in them requiring constant cleaning on my part. So far the ladies seem to like them as it gives them more privacy, but they are only using 3 out of the 5 boxes. As more of our hens begin to lay, I believe that all five boxes will be needed and we have room to add a sixth box if necessary. I have also added a perch made out of a tree branch to the front so the hens can hop up into the boxes from the branch. The branch is supported by additional cinder blocks so it is about the same height from the floor as the board. The cinder blocks were free from a friend who no longer had use for them, the board was recycled from a garage door, the branch was trimmed from one of our trees during prunning, and our only cost was the $20 we paid for the five storage containers.