Nesting Boxes with No Top?

[Laurajean]

I recently had my new hen house delivered and I like it very much. It has three wooden nesting boxes, attached to each other but removable to clean the house. But I was trying to figure what seems odd about them. There's no tops. It's just a piece of wood for the floor with three angled plywood divider walls, but nothing on top.

On one hand I'm thinking he may have built it this way so they can't hang out and poop all over the top of the nesting boxes.

But on the other hand I'm wondering, is that private enough for the chickens? Will they feel too exposed with no top on the boxes?

Can I get some input on these topless nesting boxes, and whether this is a good thing (anti-poop) or a bad thing (anti privacy)?

Thanks!

 

[eenie114]

Quote:
Well, I would say it depends on the chicken. I had some hens who would lay in the driveway,

and some of my others will only lay in the coop, the nesting boxes are too exposed.

But I guess you could always put tops on, if the hens didn't like it.

 

[chickboss]

Geeze, I have tried all kinds of things for boxes so far and my hens prefer an old bulk food barrel filled with straw that I was using as a garbage can until they took it over (uncovered) and the corner behind the barrel where I was storing the straw for the other nests (still pretty open). Silly chickens...

I gave up and just let them have it their way. LOL, at least its cheap.

 

[CityChook]

I've heard that they like private little hidey holes to lay their eggs. But I have a big community nest - looks like a trough - and have only had 2 eggs laid on the floor in the last 2 years. And they even come home to lay when they're free ranging in the backyard, so no egg hunting like on Easter morning. So I'd say that they must like their nestbox just fine. They're all different. See what works for your girls and modify if necessary.