Nesting boxes with or without a top

[cmom]

Originally I used dishpans.

 

[CityChook]

Maybe I'm just lucky... I have one larger nest box (23" long) without a top and the girls have only poo'd in it maybe 3-4 times over the last year. It's actually a repurposed/modified old junk drawer. It's large enough for two to get into at once and they seem to like to share. Filled with the same pine shavings as the floor, so if they DO poo, then I just flick it onto the floor. No biggie. Eggs are clean. Roost is about 12 inches higher than the box and I haven't had any problems with them sleeping in it - they prefer to cuddle together on the roost.

Just thought I'd give you another example to think about.

 

[Doughnut]

Citychook-- How deep are your shavings on the floor? Thanks for the picture. I went ahead and put a nice thick blanket of pine shavings on the long shelf for them to hopefully like and want to lay eggs there. Today was their first day to get used to it.

Gosh, so much to learn!

 

[CityChook]

Shavings start out around 4-5 inches when fresh. I toss weekly and add a fresh layer about once a month for 6-7 months and they are probably 6-8 inches by the end of the season when I empty the coop. I like to keep them deep in the winter for the extra insulation.

I'm envisioning your shelf. Maybe put a little lip around it, or at least on the top so that the eggs don't get knocked out and the shavings stay up there. Also, if you don't make the shavings too deep, it's a good idea to either seal the wood with linseed oil or simply paint it. It will be significantly easier to keep clean that way.

Good luck -

ETA: Don't know what kind of chickens you have, but my spoiled princesses kept me waiting for 26 l.o.n.g. weeks before they started laying. I actually cried when I *finally* got that first egg. And I'm not ashamed to admit that...

 

[NancyDz]

Quote:
I think the poo comment with the open ones was assuming there would be high sides or a divider that the chickens might roost on. Your's looks great

 

[cluckinalong]

I like the idea of cat litter boxes. I'm assuming they're the one's with the lids? That would deter roosting. I had to line up 5 gal. buckets atop mine to keep them from roosting.
My nests are from a bird business that went out of business. I'm sure mine are parrot size. They are stackable if you put a poo buffer under the top ones but, like most hens, mine prefer the two that get the least sunlight. They seem to prefer solitude and pirvacy when they do their thing.

 

[gritsar]

The covered litter boxes are the ones you want. The biggest size they sell.
My hens will wait in line to use that box.

 

[juliawitt]

I got commercial nesting boxes off craigs list for 25 dollars. I was disappointed the gals didn't use them but ten I put in straw, now they love them!

 

[MIKE555444]

I don't think you need a top...

I did mine this way to avoid taking up floor space and I can gather eggs from outside if I want.

THIS PIC IS BEFORE I STAINED THE BOXES BUT YOU GET THE IDEA

THEY LOVE THESE AND I SAVE LOTS OF ROOM INSIDE MY COOP(Of course I have the one who insists on laying in the floor)

 

[LWeekly]

I still don't have a coop done so my chickens free range and live in the pen with our pygmy goat. Since at least a few of them have started laying, I made a laying box out of a medium sized rubbermaid plastic box with lid. I got it on sale for $3.00 at Target and when I got it home I cut a rectangular hole at one end for the chicken to go inside. I originally put in straw but the goat liked to eat it so I switched the pine shavings and that's working great. I added a few golf balls and the girls figured it out right away. Even though they're free ranging they all like to lay in the box and I only found one egg outside of it so far. Eggs are easy to collect because I just pop off the top to check inside.