New rollout nest design Picture heavy-edited 1/21

[Opa]

As I've previously stated not a week goes by without someone wanting plans for rollout nests. This week was no different.

 

[CMV]

Thanks so much, Opa. I got the plans and delivered them today. You do some beautiful work, sir.

Take care.

 

[Opa]

CMV, I'm glad to help. Several people have said that I should have charged everyone for the plans, and given the number of folks I have sent plans to it would have resulted in a considerable amount of money. However, I don't think the money would have given me the satisfaction I have gotten trying to be the nicest old rooster people encounter. Hopefully everyone I have tried to help will pass it on.

 

[1muttsfan]

In some pursuits enthusiest does not mean beginner or inexperienced, but someone who does it for personal satisfaction and enjoyment - payment enough for some, thank goodness for you all

 

[barons mama]

My husband built the a roll out nest box using the same pitch and size as the design posted here by Opa - thank you very much. He found the info very helpful.

Our problem is that our hens who have been laying in flat bottom boxes with straw or leaves do not like the new boxes. We were getting 1 egg per chick per day and have gotten about half that in the last 2 days since we moved them. Also, many of the eggs are deformed of have a "sandpaper" texture on the shells.

I watched them from the outside of the box yesterday and could see that they can't get compfortable and they spent all their time trying to roll the few eggs they laid yesterday back into the box (pecking a hole in some).

We did not get the nest pads and started with a small amount of dry grass and leaves in each box. In order to get them to use the boxes, we added quite a bit of bedding. Most of the eggs still roll out, but I'm leaving a few in so they hopefully get the idea.

If anyone has any suggestions for getting older hens to use the new boxes, I would appreciate it. Hopefully they'll like them better tomorrow!

Pam

 

[Opa]

Glad this thread gave you the information you needed. Any transition will be stressful and will affect egg production for a few days. Personally I wouldn't use the straw since it prevents the eggs from rolling under the interior wall. A partially visible egg is susceptible to pecking. The hens will adapt to their new situation.

 

[Opa]

Since I have once again been contacted about rollout nests I thought I'd bump this thread to make it easier for me to locate. I'm glad it's helping so many.

Another person contacted me asking for the plans for the two nest box. That's the 4th person in the last month. Well over a hundred have asked for the 2 nest box and of course I have no way of knowing how many built the 6 nest box. If you have built either how about posting pictures of your boxes so we can all share and perhaps even come up with ways to improve them.

 

[Mamaperreca]

Opa thanks so much for your plans. We built new boxes because we were having the egg eating problem.

It took our hens about 3 weeks to finally start laying in them. We didn't have nest pads available so we lined the box at the collection point with an old towel stapled in. We made a steeper angle so they could have some bedding and it still rolls. The bedding falls back a bit so when I collect eggs I drag it up to the front a bit. THere is really just a thin layer of bedding to entice them to lay there. At first they were laying on the floor instead of in the new boxes. Not a single bird has pooped in it so it is staying really clean. They have been laying there for about 2 weeks now. NO MORE pecked eggs either. Hallelujah!

 

[chicksandhens]

Great job OPA, and thanks for the inspiration.

 

[trilyn]

Opa..thank you so much! I've a friend who travels out of town frequently, and while he has people come and collect his eggs-these plans will surely give him more peace of mind! I cannot wait to forward this thread to him...heck, I think I'm gonna have my dh make a couple sets of 6 for me! Again, thank you so much!!