Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[katekearby]

I didn't use any 2x4s building my next box. I just glued and nailed the plywood together. I made it a double wide and then slid a divider in there and secured it. It's external so I can collect the eggs from the outside. 3 sided with the front open to the coop and the roof opens for me to get in.

The new girls have been staying away from the old girls by hanging out upstairs, It's already getting around 90 degrees so I'm propping open the nest box door, this was not intended as a roost but they hang out there for a little bit at a time, butts over the 2 center nest boxes, One of the new girls was sitting in the courner box on one of the fake eggs a bit ago. I'm wondering if I should make the nest walls taller? 30 years ago the hens I had were older and fine with ones like these. Hope in a few weeks I have one flock of seven, rather than one of 4 and one of 3.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

OK, another kind of newby question, how hi should the sides of a nest box be, can they be made of 2x4s? I'm still wondering if they don't like the straw in the coop. when I put it on the ground floor they seem to love it, play in it and make little 'nests' but the older hens won't even walk on the floor where it's in the coop upstairs?

I've got another issue with the new hens making the upstairs coop their day home it is needing cleaning more. Outside there are 2 little spots that could be used for nesting, a little alley behind the coop between it and the barn, and inside a 55 gallon drum.

We've had a slight reprieve from the drought and heat, several inches of rain the last few days, so today I'll be cleaning out the wet straw from out around the coop area. I use PDZ and dusting powder to try to keep everything happy and clean/fresh.

I think chickens prefer to lay in privacy and safety --- a defensible space. Something that is closed in with one opening so they can face outward to see trouble coming. I have some that are buddies and will cram into one box to lay, but most of mine want to be separate, even in a space large enough for 3.



As for the straw, I think they will get used to it in the coop. Mine are very suspicious of anything new. When I first put sand down in the coop you would have thought is was a sea of snakes by the way they acted. Very fun to watch them try to get out without stepping in the sand. Don't touch the lava! They eventually got used to it and are fine now. I haven't been very happy with the sand, so we'll see how they do when I switch them over to rice hulls.

As for the nest boxes, I use straw to make a nest shape and fill the center with pine shavings. It varies, though, when I run out of one or the other. They haven't been very fussy about the nests.

I forget where you're located. I wish we'd get some rain, or even the morning fog. It's not even officially summer yet! Going to be a busy fire season.

 

[katekearby]

I think chickens prefer to lay in privacy and safety --- a defensible space. Something that is closed in with one opening so they can face outward to see trouble coming. I have some that are buddies and will cram into one box to lay, but most of mine want to be separate, even in a space large enough for 3.



As for the straw, I think they will get used to it in the coop. Mine are very suspicious of anything new. When I first put sand down in the coop you would have thought is was a sea of snakes by the way they acted. Very fun to watch them try to get out without stepping in the sand. Don't touch the lava! They eventually got used to it and are fine now. I haven't been very happy with the sand, so we'll see how they do when I switch them over to rice hulls.

As for the nest boxes, I use straw to make a nest shape and fill the center with pine shavings. It varies, though, when I run out of one or the other. They haven't been very fussy about the nests.

I forget where you're located. I wish we'd get some rain, or even the morning fog. It's not even officially summer yet! Going to be a busy fire season.

Wonderful with to help me figure things out, the floor of the coop I've put PDZ down with just a little straw over it. We are in central Oklahoma and have been in drought for 3 years so this last week of rain on and off has been very appreciated.

If I just build up the inner walls of those 2 end boxes they seem the ones they like for maybe dreaming about laying in, even with the door open part time would only keep them from roasting and give them a little air and me a place to fetch eggs. Soon I hope. Everyone says it should be 'soon' I keep wondering the definition of 'soon'? Like the 2 flocks of 4 and 3 should 'soon' be a flock of 7?

 

[BullChick]

the roof opens for me to get in.

Why are you getting in the coop to begin with, and why didn't you just build a door for yourself?

 

[lindz8504]

I think one of my Golden comets is going broody..... she has been in the nest since last night, and when she went out first thing this morning she walked around all puffed up. Then went straight back to the nest.

And here are some updated pics of the babies!

 

[chickenlindz]

I made my first sale!!!
4 babies for $45 which covers half the cost of the eggs. I'm going to post in the BST section here but the sake was to someone on BYC in my local thread!

 

[JW12]

I wish there was something to report .... But still no eggs! Probably 4 to 6 more weeks. I was so disappointed when I went through my calendar and realized they are 12 weeks old not 14! I broke the news to my girls and they may hate me now. But I still check every morning and every afternoon just to make sure lol .... I'm a dork!

 

[cheeka]

not much going on up here... rain rain and more rain, but it's good... it's supposed to rain for most of the week, so I made them Oatmeal Pie and kept them inside. I've collected 17 Eggs, and I think that may be all for the day, they've not been singing... the boys crow from time to time, but for the most part, it's very quiet back there.

love the broody GC lindz! that's a good sign, for a sex link, known for exceptional laying and not being broody, to actually want to brood! she's certainly a keeper, and it's good, she'll take a break from laying so she'll have better longevity for the future!

congrats on the sale CLindz! that's great!

as for the nesting thing... mine are weird, they prefer larger, more open spaces that can hold more birds, it just needs to be dark and ventilated. they use the entire floor of the apple coop in the dome - the Fosters love their Dogloo... it's pretty rare that they use the proper nest boxes

 

[mortie]

In spite of being allowed to range all afternoon and an almost limitless supply of pie, no eggs. No squatting either. Combs had grown some but they've kinda stalled and are still smallish. Going to be a while.

 

[JW12]

I haven't show my crew yet. We are humble compared to some but they all make us happy

Our chicks ... 12 red sex links and 3 silkies

That's our ducks! 2 rouans ...2 khaki Campbell's ... 2 blue Swedish .... And 4 pekins.