My Husband, not a chicken enthusiast (SP?) made me a chicken run for Christmas from found items (we made a rule this year not to buy presents but to make or repurpose stuff we had for gifts) So he had found a bunch of pallets and the neighbors tossed some fencing and said he could have it - so I have a nice chicken run. The original plan was to keep the movable coops within the run so that they could come and go into the coop as needed. We had enough of the fencing to go around but the gate was not working out so Andy decided to use a pallet for a gate which was a little ingenius actually but now we cannot have the coops inside the run and the nest boxes are inside the coops. So for my Birthday, which is today, Jan 1, He decided to build me an out door chicken/Shanty/nest box I did ask him to look here on the forum and get some ideas as to what other people have used for nest boxes, which he didn't do. So he has built this Shanty/nestbox which, I very much appreciate the thoughtfullness and idea, but it is about 2.5"X2.5" and resembles an old broken down barn sort of. I don't want him to get upset at me but I don't think the chickens are going to want to lay eggs in such a large place. If he had bothered to look and see what others have used maybe he can modify the design and make it more "inviting" for the chickens to lay eggs within. Honestly, they lay in their coop nest boxes and I like that they lay there and I am finding it hard to be happy about something I really don't need or want but the fact that he is building it is so very sweet and shows that he is more accepting to the chickens which I know he was opposed to having until they started to lay eggs and he kind of likes that, then one of his employees offered him $4 a dozen for some eggs and that he found really appealing especially when I showed him the brown eggs at the grocery store and what they sell for. Tomorrow I will post a picture: Maybe some of you can give me some ideas to make this work. I am also concerned because he put these short little legs on it and I am thinking Wow - let's just invite some snakes to come take my eggs- can we make this any more accessable to that here in florida too!!!! I am thinking it will have to be taller with a chicken ladder and maybe 4 partitions inside or maybe 4 egg crates to sit inside. I have to remind myself he is a merchant marine and not a carpenter and this is his way of showing he cares about things I am interested in and be greatful for the thoughtfulness of it all!. Caroline
So funny, my birthday is today too and I also had my husband help me with an outside nest box-he too gets carried away so what I did this time, was to actually build a mock-up of exactly what I wanted out of cardboard, even going so far as to draw with marker pictures of hinges and exactly where they should go. It worked pretty well, but-he did block off the front of the nest box too much with a 4 inch board, so the chickens could probably not get in it and I had to draw on it where he should cut it down a bit. They do care don't they, but they do get carried away. Happy birthday!
Helps to have a roost pole or walkboard just outside of the nest box. Do not expect them to get all enthused about having to jump up and in all at once. I have seen plenty that were just that way to where the chook had to hit the bullseye when she jumped up to go in. The do not have to be subdivided inside. Chooks will share a nest area quite well.
That's soooo very sweet of him !!! So, it doesn't look as you'd like...now ! Do what I do when my DH is good enough to do for me. Love what it is, let some time pass...then start trying to find pics of what you wanted !! Perhaps you can help him to "re-vision" it. I do all the time and it works here. We've been married 43 years this coming April 1st...so something must work. LOL Try and get what you really wanted...BUT...try and re-use what he gave you. That way no hurt feelings. Like I knew the nest boxes shouldn't be at floor level. The girls "bowl" with the eggs. I had bought 6 wooden ones...they stole them all, rolled right out of nests and burried them in the 10 " of wood chips. I laughingly said something to DH about the "LITTLE THIEVES" and he got the idea. Said something about "guess they should have been up higher and had a front on them." But it's something that here can wait for good weather, no rush, he got the idea. Good luck Liz Rochester, MA .....where it's ONCE AGAIN snowing !!!
