Roll out nest boxes in winter

[PJHN]

Does anyone living in more northern cold climates have experience with roll out nesting boxes? I'm planning my coop and I want to buy or make a roll out nesting box, but I want to understand if/how to insulate the external section of the roll out box so that the eggs don't freeze.
Anyone out there have experience with this and tips to offer?
Thanks!
Paula

 

[Debbie292d]

I don't have those, just normal nest boxes. We're in Wisconsin where it usually is below freezing for a few months. We use an oil-filled thin radiant heater and keep the coop to 40F so water nor eggs freeze.

By rollout nests, are you talking about those nests built outside of the coop so the eggs can be gotten from outside? If so, not sure how that would work as eggs here would freeze in a few minutes.

Here is a thread with a brief discussion about just keeping eggs from freezing.

This is the heater that keeps our 5x12' coop at 40F on it's lowest setting. We have to turn it up a tish when the temps fall sub-zero or worse. It gets hot to the touch, so we have it on a small shelf across from the nest boxes and where they perch, with chicken wire around it so they can't lean or jump up on it. It's been running every winter for about 8 years. I have one under my desk at home too.

 

[PJHN]

I don't have those, just normal nest boxes. We're in Wisconsin where it usually is below freezing for a few months. We use an oil-filled thin radiant heater and keep the coop to 40F so water nor eggs freeze.

By rollout nests, are you talking about those nests built outside of the coop so the eggs can be gotten from outside? If so, not sure how that would work as eggs here would freeze in a few minutes.

Here is a thread with a brief discussion about just keeping eggs from freezing.

This is the heater that keeps our 5x12' coop at 40F on it's lowest setting. We have to turn it up a tish when the temps fall sub-zero or worse. It gets hot to the touch, so we have it on a small shelf across from the nest boxes and where they perch, with chicken wire around it so they can't lean or jump up on it. It's been running every winter for about 8 years. I have one under my desk at home too.

Thank you very much for your reply I’m learning to navigate this website and have read articles on winter coops, etc., and have realized that an outside box to collect the eggs is out of the question for me, at least during the winter. Thanks for the heater tip. I’m still on the fence with that, but am researching all the options. The coldest it has gotten here in the winter in Stockholm in the past 8 years, was -10F so it isn’t as cold as in the more northern areas.
Thanks again!

 

[aart]

There are roll out nests where the nest and the collection trough is inside the coop.
Pics of your nest setup would help here.

here in the winter in Stockholm

Welcome to BYC! @PJHN
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[Ted Brown]

My winters average -15C, I have roll inside nest boxes; very simple to construct.

The change to roll away was to counter egg eating; very effective.

 

[PJHN]

There are roll out nests where the nest and the collection trough is inside the coop.
Pics of your nest setup would help here.


Welcome to BYC! @PJHN
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 3984208

Thanks for that. Now my location is in As for the rolling nest box… I have no pics because I’m in the planning/ research stages. Nothing is build yet I’ll add indoor roll nest box to my list Tks

 

[Ted Brown]

Timely collection of eggs is the best way IMHO (I will not add heat).

One gets to know the rhythm of one's flock, certainly not hourly, more like 2-3 times per day. When the temps get into -30s one goes more often (and still ends up with a frozen egg or two).

 

[ELICEC]

Does anyone living in more northern cold climates have experience with roll out nesting boxes? I'm planning my coop and I want to buy or make a roll out nesting box, but I want to understand if/how to insulate the external section of the roll out box so that the eggs don't freeze.
Anyone out there have experience with this and tips to offer?
Thanks!
Paula

In Wisconsin, I built an "add on" box that went the length of the coop so I could reach for their eggs without disturbing them. I used plenty of straw. On the first freezing day, the eggs froze, even though I went early in the morning. It wasn't a roll out box either, which I think might expose the eggs more.
I had to immediately demolish my pretty add on boxes, [2nd week of November] close the entire wall and reconstruct a set of boxes attached to the South wall. The entire coop is insulated now and I have not had one frozen egg.
As a plus, an insulated coop means that there are less mice that come in to eat their grain [they can only come in and out when the trap door is open and the rooster can kill mice].
The ventilation window has 1/2" wire over it and there are no nooks and crannies for mice to hide in.
So I don't recommend having laying boxes that hang outside of the coop: they may look pretty, but they are hard to build well and my hen were terrified when I opened them to get their eggs.

 

[PJHN]

In Wisconsin, I built an "add on" box that went the length of the coop so I could reach for their eggs without disturbing them. I used plenty of straw. On the first freezing day, the eggs froze, even though I went early in the morning. It wasn't a roll out box either, which I think might expose the eggs more.
I had to immediately demolish my pretty add on boxes, [2nd week of November] close the entire wall and reconstruct a set of boxes attached to the South wall. The entire coop is insulated now and I have not had one frozen egg.
As a plus, an insulated coop means that there are less mice that come in to eat their grain [they can only come in and out when the trap door is open and the rooster can kill mice].
The ventilation window has 1/2" wire over it and there are no nooks and crannies for mice to hide in.
So I don't recommend having laying boxes that hang outside of the coop: they may look pretty, but they are hard to build well and my hen were terrified when I opened them to get their eggs.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience and the solutions you applied. It’s helpful for my planning. I wish you continued success with your chickens.

 

[Ted Brown]

You did not say if you have built your coop yet although the implication of your post above is no.

Your focus on nest boxes makes lots of sense to me, I have rebuilt mine at least four times, think I have it right now. I started with 7 hens so two nests worked but chicken math intervened and I expanded to four based on @aart 's model. Then my flock grew (now 25 hens) and I encountered an egg eating issue; nests became seven with a roll away floor. First iteration floor allowed the hens to reach the eggs, added width and increased the pitch; works well but, at the moment, I get almost zero eggs (LOL) . Research and planning is great but sometimes we don't really know how our chicken life will unfold.

My real purpose with this post is reactive to some of the comments above. The most critical thing with chickens is their coop/run - does it work for the flock and does it work for YOU? I made mine large (designed for 40), walk in and well suited to my climate & environment. I spent almost a year researching and, fortunately, got that part right. I chose a proven design (Woods fresh air style), elevated it close to a meter off the ground (deters critters & adds run space that would otherwise be wasted footprint) and fully enclosed & covered the run (I no longer allow free ranging -too many predators wandering about and now the threat of avian flu particularly during migration seasons).

You do not need heat, do not want insulation!!!

You do want excellent ventilation, space sufficient to flock size, appropriate roost length coupled with drop boards & frequent cleaning, deep bedding in the coop, deep litter in the run, easy access inside the coop, electricity for light & water heating.

All easier if starting from scratch but attainable even with pre-existing sheds/buildings.

@aart, among others, is brilliant and offers common sense/practical guidance on all of these topics. I strongly recommend her articles and comments.

Good luck with your journey!