Nesting Boxes ?? What did you use???

[Johill]

I finished my second coop (mainly for my Silver Grey Dorkings) and I need to do my nesting boxes. I’m my main flock I used an old dresser/shelve, mist of my coop was made from reclaimed wood and other items...
what kind of nesting boxes did you use??? I’d love to see all your clever ideas!
I’ve spent ages on Pinterest trying to find clever vertical nesting box ideas.

 

[cavemanrich]

my coop was made from reclaimed wood and other items...

I'm in favor of reusing, repurposing.
One question...... How big is each flock that uses a 12 unit nesting facility???
My second observation, and suggestion. I know that many chickens just like/prefer certain nesting boxes, and the rest stay vacant. Multiple chickens will crowd into a particular nest box and share tight quarters. I don't know the measurement dimensions of your boxes pictured. I would make 4 communal boxes, (red pencil lines) so that more than one hen can be in a box at same time.

If boxes a sufficiently tall enough, then make 6 communal boxes that are double wide. Chickens do need to stand up when laying an egg. If there is a thick layer of nesting material, like hay, then there is decreased head room. My chickens prefer a thick nest over just an area with minimum padding.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Johill]

Thank you. . Those pictures are from my main flocks nesting box when I built the coop last year. The flock is 19hens. There’s always lots of hay and they use about 5 of the boxes. I didn’t want to cut it down so didn’t Chang it knowing it was a lot of nesting boxes.... there about 1x1.

I’m Actually looking for ideas for my second coop, hoping to see some interesting pictures.

 

[neo71665]

3/4 inch marine grade plywood. It's overkill but my dad used to work at a plywood plant and I have a hoard of cull sheets. 1/2 inch normal grade is fine.

I like my boxes single row that way the girls dont get on top of each other and poop on the ones below.

 

[Johill]

3/4 inch marine grade plywood. It's overkill but my dad used to work at a plywood plant and I have a hoard of cull sheets. 1/2 inch normal grade is fine.

I like my boxes single row that way the girls dont get on top of each other and poop on the ones below.

Yes was thinking I would use my left over plywood from the coop walls.... I am thinking a vertical design with at least 4 boxes. This flock will really only have 5 hens and one rooster. so lots of space.

But I know people have used other funky things and I'm hoping to get ideas.... My Dorking coop has a tree and branches as their roosts.

 

[neo71665]

lol I've seen my grandma use just about anything a chicken would fit in. Wire shelves, milk crates, 5 gallon buckets, file cabinet drawers, dresser drawers, even cardboard boxes.

She free ranged her chickens, well before free range was even a term. She just kept them as yard birds and they would choose where they wanted to lay. Chickens aint real picky, they want a place where they feel safe.

 

[Johill]

lol I've seen my grandma use just about anything a chicken would fit in. Wire shelves, milk crates, 5 gallon buckets, file cabinet drawers, dresser drawers, even cardboard boxes.

She free ranged her chickens, well before free range was even a term. She just kept them as yard birds and they would choose where they wanted to lay. Chickens aint real picky, they want a place where they feel safe.

That's great lol I thought about buckets... but then I have a sheet of plywood that needs to be used... so guess I need to not be wasteful

 

[svh]

I used some old milk crates, screwed to the wall, and added landing platforms, 4" edges to retain the nesting material, and covered with an old piece of metal siding, bent in half, as an anti-roost/poop roof.

I also have a 12"x18" Tupperware container, with a large hole in one end, as a supplemental nest box, and it gets about 30% of the egg laying business.

 

[Cheeki]

i built my first five boxes in my grandmother’s style. Just 5 boxes on legs. Then I added storage bins underneath with a board across the front. The ducks use the bins most of the time but sometimes the chickens use them too. Even when I get the new coop done I don’t think I’ll add more boxes because my girls like to lay where another chicken has already laid. I might go out and find 4 eggs in one box.

 

[neo71665]

i built my first five boxes in my grandmother’s style. Just 5 boxes on legs. Then I added storage bins underneath with a board across the front. The ducks use the bins most of the time but sometimes the chickens use them too. Even when I get the new coop done I don’t think I’ll add more boxes because my girls like to lay where another chicken has already laid. I might go out and find 4 eggs in one box.

Why we put golf balls in the nesting boxes, encourages them because they figure it's safe. Also serves double duty because if a snake is stealing eggs it will put an end to it.