Show us your nest boxes! Ingenous design post it here!

[KG in Oregon]

I've started using the XL (35 lb or 14 lb lite) Tidy Cat buckets for nest boxes.

I wanted something that had a hinged lid that I could set up to collect eggs from OUTSIDE my chicken tractor. The hinged lid is perfect. I drilled a couple of holes near the top of the lid and worked the hook on a bungee cord through, then pliered the hook closed so it couldn't come loose. The lid snaps open and closed like a mail box and the bungee is insurance in case one of my girls pushes too hard on the back of her nest box. I used a jig saw to cut out the bottom as you would for a 5 gal nest box (just make sure you have the same top and bottom on both ends of the bucket before you start to cut - lol) and put a length of soaker hose over the cut bottom edge, drilled a series of holes under the hose edge and threaded a thin wire round and round the hose to keep it in place. I think soaker hose is easier on their feet.

At the same time I fixed up a 5 gal bucket in similar fashion and put two TC buckets and one 5 gal bucket up for my new layers. No on ever used the 5 gal, but they fought over the TC buckets so I gave in and made up one more. This was great for me, the 5 gal bucket lid was hard to get on and off and the TC is so easy.

I was afraid the TC buckets might be too small (they are only 10 in wide x 12 in tall). I have a barred rock, RIRs and EEs. They all fit, can turn around and seem to like the flat bottom. Since I moved the cat litter from the TC bucket to a spare 5 gal, I know that the TC holds exactly as much as the 5 gal. so if your girls will use a 5 gal they might actually like the TC bucket better.

 

[ripper8382]

I have a flip open lid on the back so if I don't want to open the coop, very rare, I can get the eggs still. Found cat litter boxes that fit so I could change out hay but they keep it cleanow and I haven't had to change it out yet.

 

[knwisdom]

I installed 2 types at 3 heights with different approaches to allow variety. Regardless, 3 of them use the same box. Sadly one still uses the floor, but they have not been laying for a month yet. My coop is inside a shed that is insulated so I did not have to insulate the best boxes themselves. (We live in Montana.) All of them can be accessed from the shed so that entering the coop is not required.
Here are the boxes.

 

[treefrogging]

That's a good idea!

 

[knwisdom]

So I am happy to report that after several more weeks of laying eggs on the ground in the coop, Lily, my Buff Orpington has finally decided she likes the new nest box I built her. No more eggs on the ground! She still won't go near the boxes with the sloping tops but loves the larger square box. Variety is good.

 

[tminer]

 

[tminer]

 

[bria714]

Just set these up in my new coop I hope my girls like it. I have 2 stacked right now with a cardboard (temporary) divide, so each bucket has two nests. Any suggestions for a permanent divide?



http://www.homedepot.com/p/HUSKY-St...ERCH=REC-_-rv_nav_plp_rr-_-NA-_-203850470-_-N

 

[aart]

Just set these up in my new coop I hope my girls like it. I have 2 stacked right now with a cardboard (temporary) divide, so each bucket has two nests. Any suggestions for a permanent divide?



http://www.homedepot.com/p/HUSKY-St...ERCH=REC-_-rv_nav_plp_rr-_-NA-_-203850470-_-N

Welcome to BYC!
I'd use 1/2" plywood for permanent dividers, attach to bin with three or four 1 1/2 drywall screws.
Perfect a pattern using the cardboard, then use pattern to trace and cut out of plywood.
Drill a few clearance holes for attachment screws in bin and drive screw into edge of plywood.
Might want to screw bins to wall in one or two places also so they don't ever tip, a bird flying off the edge can create quite a bit of force.

 

[stellagirl]

My girls have wooden nest boxes in their coop that they love but on this day, they found an overturned bucket in the garage to lay in. Silly hens