New roll out nest box

[sealer39]

I needed a larger nest box for my tool shed coop because I added three more chickens to it yesterday. Total of six now. I found @jthornton roll out design and built one this morning. Mine has a slanted roof because it’s not under anything. I tested it with an egg and it rolls to the bottom just fine. I think all the chickens that are going to lay today did, so I’ll have to wait till tomorrow to see if the ladies like it. I threw some straw in it just so they will get the idea and I’ll remove it later. I also left the old open face nest box up to see which one they prefer.

 

[ValerieJ]

I like that! Think I'll include it in our new coop next spring. What will you put in there when you take the straw out? Would you just have them lay in directly on the wood? Do they like that? Maybe that's why my hens are always scooping the straw out of their nest boxes.

 

[jthornton]

I use a carpet runner with a little foam padding under it because the hens stand up and drop the egg...

JT

 

[sealer39]

Ditto

 

[jthornton]

I just noticed that Pineville is smack dab in the middle of Louisana, we used to live in LaPlace. I miss my friends and the food but not the heat, humidity or mosquitoes lol.

Can't wait for tomorrows report on the hens...

JT

 

[sealer39]

LaPlace! I sure miss Jacobs Andouille. When I worked down that way Jacobs was a regular stop for me. I’d pick up a full link and eat it like a Slim Jim driving down the road!
I’ll take a pic tomorrow afternoon when I get off work.

 

[jthornton]

I've been gone so long I had forgot about the little barn on Airline Hwy with the great sausage.

JT

 

[sealer39]

The chickens apparently liked their new nest box and it worked great. Knowing chickens don’t like change, I decided to block access to the old nest box last night. The below pic is how I found the eggs this afternoon. Now that they know where to lay eggs, I’ll remove the straw so all the eggs will roll to the bottom. I’m also going to raise the roof to a steeper angle so they won’t poop on it.
Good design @jthornton !

I find it funny that chickens will fight over one particular nest box but in this community box four hens laid eggs in front of the four different access holes.

 

[jthornton]

I’m also going to raise the roof to a steeper angle so they won’t poop on it.

I've found that 45 degrees will stop any chicken from roosting so long as they can't roost on the top edge.

JT