post your chicken coop pictures here!

[perchie.girl]

what a darling little coop and totally taking advantage of the tree... You could easily make a run to the left for expansion if you needed as well.

deb

 

[Granny368W]

Another question here! I went to the EggCartons.com and they have those roll away egg replacement... do you think I could put one of those in the nests that we make and then add one of those nest mats that they sell? Does anybody here have the roll away nests set up?

 

[perchie.girl]

Another question here! I went to the EggCartons.com and they have those roll away egg replacement... do you think I could put one of those in the nests that we make and then add one of those nest mats that they sell? Does anybody here have the roll away nests set up?

Not yet.... but I do know they design them for use in homemade...

My roll away nest is going to be kind of different. I dont know what I am going to use in them...

deb

 

[bruceha2000]

Another question here! I went to the EggCartons.com and they have those roll away egg replacement... do you think I could put one of those in the nests that we make and then add one of those nest mats that they sell? Does anybody here have the roll away nests set up?

I'm sure you could if you got the roll out thing first and build the nest box around it. But I really doubt the eggs will roll if you put the mat in. It looks like the stuff that was in the box my chicks came in last month. You would have to have quite an angle to get eggs to roll off that and the picture of the roll out insert doesn't have enough detail to see what the angle is. The Kuhn roll out nests look to have the inserts in them but no pad.

I know people on BYC have made their own roll out nests and experimented until they got an angle that worked. I suspect you would have to have a fairly smooth "nest surface" like a really short pile carpet.

I also have NO personal knowledge of roll out boxes. I made regular boxes, probably 6-8 " deep and just fill them up with 4"+ of pine shavings, same stuff I put on the coop floor. I've never had a chicken poop in there until my surrogate brooding Black Australorp decided enough was enough with waiting to get out of the brooding pen in the morning (or felt they were safer at night off the ground as all chickens do) and took the 7 chicks (4 weeks old Monday) up to a nest box (about 2' high with an access perch at ~18") a week ago. At 3 weeks, flying up 2' was no problem for them. So now there is chick poop in that one nest.

I also have had VERY few eggs broken in the nest boxes, the hens seem to be pretty careful with eggs already in the box as they intentionally choose a nest that already has an egg (real or plastic) in it. And some of the broken ones were thin shelled and if not broken would have had to be picked up VERY carefully to not break the shell. Thus, the only reasons I can think of to do roll outs in a small flock would be if you have outside access to the roll out "end point" for easy collection or your hens are REALLY testy if you check for eggs under them when they are likely laying in a box another girl probably already laid in.

For me, the roll out inserts and nest pads would be an unnecessary expense. A ~4 cu ft bag of compressed shavings is only $6.25, those nest pads are 10 (minimum) for $40. Don't know how often you would need to replace them but I only replace the shavings in my nest boxes every few months and that is only because the get broken down over time since they are never dirty.

 

[Dramaqueen21888]

I didn't have a lot of money so I made this inside an old dog run

 

[bruceha2000]

I didn't have a lot of money so I made this inside an old dog run

Nothing wrong with inexpensive! Repurposing is even better. But if you live where there are predators like raccoons, you'll need to put 1/2" hardware cloth up a couple of feet since they will rip the heads of chickens napping against the fence. And make sure nothing can dig under the fence. Could be pavers up against the outside, or even buried chain link if you have some sitting around. I think the diggers would most likely be foxes and other canines, too large to fit through chain link and no way they can break it.

 

[Dramaqueen21888]

Nothing wrong with inexpensive! Repurposing is even better. But if you live where there are predators like raccoons, you'll need to put 1/2" hardware cloth up a couple of feet since they will rip the heads of chickens napping against the fence. And make sure nothing can dig under the fence. Could be pavers up against the outside, or even buried chain link if you have some sitting around. I think the diggers would most likely be foxes and other canines, too large to fit through chain link and no way they can break it.

We have raccoons but live in such a rural area with a lot of dogs they don't come out except at night and my babies get tucked in before sundown. We don't have foxes and the dogs are very much protectors so far. The coop itself is very locked up for the nights that nothing could get in there unless they had a drill lol.

 

[grandadjohn]

 

[grandadjohn]

Recycled upvc front, concrete floor and back wall , sliding door, toughened glass window ,Welded mesh door and sides and also over window, 100% fox proof in UK , probably.

 

[Granny368W]

I'm sure you could if you got the roll out thing first and build the nest box around it. But I really doubt the eggs will roll if you put the mat in. It looks like the stuff that was in the box my chicks came in last month. You would have to have quite an angle to get eggs to roll off that and the picture of the roll out insert doesn't have enough detail to see what the angle is. The Kuhn roll out nests look to have the inserts in them but no pad.

I know people on BYC have made their own roll out nests and experimented until they got an angle that worked. I suspect you would have to have a fairly smooth "nest surface" like a really short pile carpet.

I also have NO personal knowledge of roll out boxes. I made regular boxes, probably 6-8 " deep and just fill them up with 4"+ of pine shavings, same stuff I put on the coop floor. I've never had a chicken poop in there until my surrogate brooding Black Australorp decided enough was enough with waiting to get out of the brooding pen in the morning (or felt they were safer at night off the ground as all chickens do) and took the 7 chicks (4 weeks old Monday) up to a nest box (about 2' high with an access perch at ~18") a week ago. At 3 weeks, flying up 2' was no problem for them. So now there is chick poop in that one nest. 

I also have had VERY few eggs broken in the nest boxes, the hens seem to be pretty careful with eggs already in the box as they intentionally choose a nest that already has an egg (real or plastic) in it. And some of the broken ones were thin shelled and if not broken would have had to be picked up VERY carefully to not break the shell. Thus, the only reasons I can think of to do roll outs in a small flock would be if you have outside access to the roll out "end point" for easy collection or your hens are REALLY testy if you check for eggs under them when they are likely laying in a box another girl probably already laid in.

For me, the roll out inserts and nest pads would be an unnecessary expense. A ~4 cu ft bag of compressed shavings is only $6.25, those nest pads are 10 (minimum) for $40. Don't know how often you would need to replace them but I only replace the shavings in my nest boxes every few months and that is only because the get broken down over time since they are never dirty.

Thank you so much Bruce....I'll keep all of this information in my head...