Question on nesting boxes

[Lulu1957]

I am very new to this but am loving every minute of being with my flock. I am making my own nesting boxes out of plywood. Do I make the perch hinged so that I can close off the boxes if I want? I see them online both ways, and since I want to only make them once, should I go ahead and do that? Also, would I be closing them off to keep birds in, or closing them to keep birds out? Reason for it? Thanks for your help

 

[Happy Chooks]

As long as your roost is higher than the nesting boxes, I wouldn't worry about hinging it. I have birds of many ages and don't have any issue with them trying to sleep in the boxes. Make sure the boxes have a good lip on front, or they will kick the eggs out while arranging the nest.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Obviously you can do it either way. It's not the end of the world, whichever way you go.

I made mine so I could close then off, the lower two that is. I also made a section in betweeen the two that I can put food and water in if I want to isolate a hen. I usually keep that middle section closed off. I like having flexibility to do things if I need to.



Some of the possible uses. If I have a broody, I can lock her in the nest and get her food and water without moving her. If I wanted to lock the other hens away from her while she is hatching, i could do that, even giving the chicks food and water. The only time I've done that was when a broody hen forgot what nest she was supposed to be on. I kept her locked in there a couple of days to remind her where she was supposed to be. Usually my broodies incubate and hatch with the flock.

When I have a hen laying on the floor of the coop instead of in the nests, I catch her when she is on her nest on the floor and lock her in a nest until she lays. Usually I only have to do this once, but one hen required two days before she learned where to lay.

My brooder is in the coop. There have been a few times that I needed to stash the chicks somewhere while I did something to the brooder. I just locked them in the nests out of the way.

I've never done it, but if you have chicks sleeping in the nest boxes, you can block off the nest boxes at bedtime to train then to sleep somewhere else. That usually happens because your roosts are not higher than the nest boxes or some hens are being brutes on the roosts and chickens (usually young birds) look for a safer place to sleep. I solve that problem by providing more roosts away from the main ones and a little lower than the main ones.

I'm sure there are plenty of other possible reasons you might want to be able to close off your nest boxes, but you will probably find that most people don't have that option. Purely your choice.

Good luck!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I do have a separate area that I can block off for a broody, an injured hen, juvenile chicks, etc. It's not part of my nesting boxes though. As Ridgerunner said, you can do it either way.

 

[Lulu1957]

Thanks for the good advice!!