Open nesting boxes?

[kadore]

Hi! Long time lurker, first time poster.

I have quail and am on my way to having chickens. I have the coop designed, but I'm running into a wall with nesting boxes.

Why are they so small? Do they need to be covered? There are so many pictures and options, I'm just not sure what chickens prefer vs what chicken owners prefer. I'd like to use something lightweight like plastic crates, since the coop I'm working on is a movable hoop coop; also something that chickens will (hopefully) enjoy and feel comfortable with. Are the curtains I'm seeing for the chickens feel less vulnerable while squeezing an egg out? Also I will mostly be using shredded hardwood mulch and leaf litter for the bedding, since I can get it for cheap/free through my job. Any problems there? Cedar and juniper are softwood, unless there are other types of wood that bother poultry...

The hatching eggs in the mail and incubator are Ameraucana bantams, Svart honas, Silverudd's Blues, and Cream Brabanters (I like the unusual ones There's a noteable size difference there, not sure if it matters with the nesting boxes.

Quail just lay whereever (usually their favorite hiding spots), so egg hunting isn't a dealbreaker for me. Just want to know what's what.

Thanks for reading!

 

[nuthatched]

I use storage bins for mine, uncovered. But my coop is rather dark. It's whatever works for you, the chickens often aren't that picky.

 

[nuthatched]

 

[AGeese]

Hi! Long time lurker, first time poster.

I have quail and am on my way to having chickens. I have the coop designed, but I'm running into a wall with nesting boxes.

Why are they so small? Do they need to be covered? There are so many pictures and options, I'm just not sure what chickens prefer vs what chicken owners prefer. I'd like to use something lightweight like plastic crates, since the coop I'm working on is a movable hoop coop; also something that chickens will (hopefully) enjoy and feel comfortable with. Are the curtains I'm seeing for the chickens feel less vulnerable while squeezing an egg out? Also I will mostly be using shredded hardwood mulch and leaf litter for the bedding, since I can get it for cheap/free through my job. Any problems there? Cedar and juniper are softwood, unless there are other types of wood that bother poultry...

The hatching eggs in the mail and incubator are Ameraucana bantams, Svart honas, Silverudd's Blues, and Cream Brabanters (I like the unusual ones There's a noteable size difference there, not sure if it matters with the nesting boxes.

Quail just lay whereever (usually their favorite hiding spots), so egg hunting isn't a dealbreaker for me. Just want to know what's what.

Thanks for reading!

My chickens like this: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mighty-Tuff-Large-Nesting-Stack-Storage-Bin-All-Plastic-Gray/129907563

 

[kadore]

Ah, that is what I was hoping. Thanks for the pics and link!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Why are they so small?

A general recommendation is a minimum of 12" x 12" but that is for any chicken, from a tiny Sebright to a huge Jersey Giant. Just a generic recommendation. It's not a bad minimum size since it will accommodate any chicken but I've seen them hide a nest, lay eggs, and hatch chicks in smaller areas. I made mine 16" x 16" and they work well.

Do they need to be covered?

If the chickens roost over them then yes, they should be covered to keep the poop out. But many people have uncovered nests.

There are so many pictures and options, I'm just not sure what chickens prefer vs what chicken owners prefer.

Exactly. People usually care more about this than the chickens do.

I'd like to use something lightweight like plastic crates, since the coop I'm working on is a movable hoop coop; also something that chickens will (hopefully) enjoy and feel comfortable with.

My suggestions are to attach them so the crates or bins do not flip over when a chicken flies up and stands on an edge. Put a fair amount of bedding to cushion the eggs and put a fake egg (I use a golf ball) to show them where to lay. The fake egg trick does not always work but it often does.

Are the curtains I'm seeing for the chickens feel less vulnerable while squeezing an egg out?

Some people make the nests very dark with tops and a relatively small opening for the hen to get in at the front with curtains. Others use open crates sitting on the open.

Also I will mostly be using shredded hardwood mulch and leaf litter for the bedding, since I can get it for cheap/free through my job. Any problems there? Cedar and juniper are softwood, unless there are other types of wood that bother poultry...

Don't use shredded cedar. The aroma can cause issues with a chicken's respiratory system if it gets concentrated. Pine is OK, not sure how much I'd trust juniper.

The hatching eggs in the mail and incubator are Ameraucana bantams, Svart honas, Silverudd's Blues, and Cream Brabanters (I like the unusual ones There's a noteable size difference there, not sure if it matters with the nesting boxes.

Not in my opinion.