Setting up outdoor nestboxes when it gets hot

[SusanD]

For those of you that use outdoor nestboxes when it gets hot, may I see pictures of them? I considering that for our set up, after seeing my RIR have a hard time with the heat in our coop this weekend (and refuse to come out after she laid today). I would love to be able to close up our coop to chickens (since it's too small to put a fan in) when the temperature inside gets above 85.

 

[aldarita]

This is my set up for out of the coop nest boxes. My coop is well ventilated and has 2 fans inside but currently I have 5 chicks sleeping inside and 2 broodys in the nest boxes. From the very beginning since we built the coop and run, we meant to keep the nesting boxes outside so there will be more room for the chickens to sleep in the hot summer months. The coop is 4 x 6.

Now if I can only convince my broodys to use both of the nesting boxes, it would be a great help. Both of them are adamant on using the same nest and as temperatures rise, I don't want them to get heat stroke hence the small fan in front. Broodys can be so very stubborn

 

[kaileenfoster]

I actually made a thread asking about turning a hutch I have into outside nesting boxes..I have 4 pullets who shout be laying in the next couple of weeks and asked if anyone thinks they would lay their eggs in a hurry hutch rather than their coop they sleep in, your set up is really cool! Do your hens lay their eggs in that hutch you have? I was told not to do that because they probably won't lay their eggs in their if it is t their coop but was also told that hens will lay their eggs anywhere in a box lol but I plan on putting the hutch right next to their coop.. I just want them to have more room and plus I don't think they will be able to fit in these little nest boxes that can with this coop, I want to put crates in the hutch for them to lay their eggs in, so they will have one place to sleep and one place to lay eggs.
Their coop

The hutch where I want to put nesting boxes in.. I just want to know if anyone else does this? And if it works?

 

[aldarita]

It worked for me. Actually I think you are at the right time to do it since your pullets are very close to POL.
What you need to do is place your nesting boxes in the hutch and some fake eggs. I believe it will be harder to train a hen to lay in a different nest box once she has learned to do it in an specific place, but since yours are not laying yet, it is a very good time to train them.

My pullets originally had the choice to lay in the coop or in the hutch by the coop, interestingly they chose to lay in the hutch and they have been doing so for months.

 

[kaileenfoster]

It worked for me. Actually I think you are at the right time to do it since your pullets are very close to POL.
What you need to do is place your nesting boxes in the hutch and some fake eggs. I believe it will be harder to train a hen to lay in a different nest box once she has learned to do it in an specific place, but since yours are not laying yet, it is a very good time to train them.

My pullets originally had the choice to lay in the coop or in the hutch by the coop, interestingly they chose to lay in the hutch and they have been doing so for months. 

Great! Thank you, I just want them to have more space in the coop, and plus I took the chicken wire down from the nesting boxes in their coop and of course they all slept with in the nesting boxes, and I think that's because it corresponds with the perch? I bought this coop from tractor supply and had to completely modify it but the nesting boxes that came with it just isn't working out.. But the good thing with that is I can just easily take it apart, I'm a new chicken owner and still learning!

 

[SusanD]

Thanks. Aldarita I like your boxes as those look reasonably private. Where did you find them
?

 

[aldarita]

I ordered them online from tractor supply Co. They do not have them at the store where I live. Order the large one (they have a smaller size). The large boxes have plenty of room for a standard chicken

 

[gmatson]

I actually made a thread asking about turning a hutch I have into outside nesting boxes..I have 4 pullets who shout be laying in the next couple of weeks and asked if anyone thinks they would lay their eggs in a hurry hutch rather than their coop they sleep in, your set up is really cool! Do your hens lay their eggs in that hutch you have? I was told not to do that because they probably won't lay their eggs in their if it is t their coop but was also told that hens will lay their eggs anywhere in a box lol but I plan on putting the hutch right next to their coop.. I just want them to have more room and plus I don't think they will be able to fit in these little nest boxes that can with this coop, I want to put crates in the hutch for them to lay their eggs in, so they will have one place to sleep and one place to lay eggs.
Their coop

The hutch where I want to put nesting boxes in.. I just want to know if anyone else does this? And if it works?

I love the way you modified your coop.