New front rollout nest****PICS****

[jjdward]

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Here is my newly built front rollout nest box. I had just about all the materials and only had to buy the hinges. Sorry about the spots that arent painted, I ran out of paint. I just kinda designed this as I went along. From the front of the nest to the back is 22 inches with a slope of one inch. I have one that I made really quick but the slope was to much and the eggs were getting broken. On top of that the part where the eggs end up was not long enough and the hens would peck the eggs as they rolled under the lift up lid. I guess they were curious as to where their eggs were going off to!! It has a total of 8 nests and a storage compartment on top. When I layed out the sides with the sloping roof, I decided that the space needed to be used for something. I don't what yet but something. I just wanted to see what yall think. Any comments or suggestions? Also, I was wondering how high off the floor the nest needed to be? Some of my chickens roost in the nest I have now(which is about 2 feet of the ground) and that makes a mess. They have plenty of perch and the perch is 2 feet off the floor. Do the nest need to be lower or the roost higher?

 

[Justino]

Thats a very clever box you got there! Very nice

 

[WriterofWords]

Very nice, gonna build mine too??? hehehehe

 

[ghulst]

Have you thought about puting carpeting to reduce brakage? I think that would be a plus. Very neat.

 

[jjdward]

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I had that in the old nest box but the slope was too much and the eggs would break against each other. I reduced the slope and will be putting nest pads in the bottom of the nests and carpet up against the "tray" part of the nest box. I still don't know what I will be using the storage part of the nest for but it seemed like such a waste not to use it for something.

 

[Lil chick chick]

Nice nest boxes.

Right now your nests and roosts are the same height, that is why they are roosting on both. You definately need your roosts higher than the nests, as the ladies like to roost in the higher spots. That should solve your problem.

 

[jjdward]

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Thanks. When I put the new nest box in I will put it lower than the roosts.

 

[Kim_NC]

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Raise the roosts. I like my nest boxes 1 1/2 to 2 off the floor and roosts at 3.5 - 4 ft ....then a 2nd roost at 5' if you have the headspace.

 

[jsimplytx125]

Hi guys,
This thread leads to another question. I have guineas coming anyday.
Once they are old enough to release from the brooder, will they roost with my RIRs?

If not, will they stay in the area (my 4 acres) if I let them free-range in the same wooded pasture with my Barbado sheep?

Are their eggs edible?

Any suggestions on housing them?