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

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Wouldn't restricting the height of the nest impair their ability to lay comfortably?

I use the rectangular cat litter buckets for nests with pine shavings as their nesting material. I use them as inserts for a shelf below the dropping trays, so I can have as many or as few as I need in there at a time and I can pull any that get soiled to clean them. I have two large fowl Cochins that can't (or won't) fit in the buckets, so there are always two spaces in the corners left open for them without buckets, about 14.5 inches tall. The large Cochins are the only ones who consistently use them out of my flock of 33 large fowl and 12 bantam hens. Everyone else seems to prefer the buckets and more often than not use them. I figure if it was that uncomfortable for them, they wouldn't use them at all, especially with other options available. My Orpington even stuffs herself into the buckets and she's arguably much larger than the Cochins, but she's also less fluffy. That's her in the middle here:

I've walked in on them laying in the bucket nests many times. They just stand as upright as they can with the height restriction. I've also found eggs in a lot of odd places, many of which would have been much more restricted for height than these. One of my big, fat Dorking hens found one of these buckets sitting on its side, even more restricted for head room, and was laying in it until I found out! It clearly doesn't bother them all that much.

 

[HennyPenny2019]

We removed a window and hung ours in the window frame. It has a human access door on the outside, and hinged doors on the inside:

Here's the view from outside the coop. The little red barn is the nest box. The door opens to collect the eggs:

This is adorable!

 

[HennyPenny2019]

Very nice! I feel like I am learning so much.

 

[Dandelyon]

I made this extra wide box for my planned 3 hens. It's 20" wide, 11" deep, and 14" high, with 10" legs.

I'm going to hook it to the wall so it won't tip over, but will still be removable for cleaning.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I use recycled file crates from work. They used to hold writing portfolios for my 11th grade American Lit students. Now they hold nests. My chickens are waaaaay more productive...

These are old pics. They have nest liners in them now.

 

[aart]

These are old pics. They have nest liners in them now.

How is that fabric holding up?
How about a new pic?

Did you make that egg wreath?......it's kinda cool!

 

[Aunt Angus]

How is that fabric holding up?
How about a new pic?

Did you make that egg wreath?......it's kinda cool!

The cloth is actually a vinyl/flannel backed table cloth. It's holding up fine, so far.

As for new pics, I have no additional lighting back there, and the flash on my phone isn't working. I will try to get more once it's light enough. Lol!

The wreath I found at a thrift store. It's an Easter decoration. For 49 cents, I figured, "Why not?"

 

[hpfchickens]

We've had our flock for 2 1/2 weeks. I had thought about making nest boxes out of the 18 gallon totes, but chose to purchase Modcat flip top litter boxes. The plastic is so thick and sturdy so I knew they would last a long time, but what sold me was the lid--not having to remove the lid with both hands. I love the sliding lid. So I ordered three at a discount. As you can see from the picture, my husband built a fancy area to house the nest boxes which makes the flip top lid feature not really used. We easily retrieve the eggs from the opening. I've got them lined with hay with one fake egg in each box. The hens started using them the first day we got the flock. We collect eggs from each box every day.

 

[paneubert]

We've had our flock for 2 1/2 weeks. I had thought about making nest boxes out of the 18 gallon totes, but chose to purchase Modcat flip top litter boxes. The plastic is so thick and sturdy so I knew they would last a long time, but what sold me was the lid--not having to remove the lid with both hands. I love the sliding lid. So I ordered three at a discount. As you can see from the picture, my husband built a fancy area to house the nest boxes which makes the flip top lid feature not really used. We easily retrieve the eggs from the opening. I've got them lined with hay with one fake egg in each box. The hens started using them the first day we got the flock. We collect eggs from each box every day.
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You had me excited until I saw the price! Yikes. But they do look like a perfect size and shape for a nest box.

 

[hpfchickens]

You had me excited until I saw the price! Yikes. But they do look like a perfect size and shape for a nest box.

Yes, the discount I received helped. I figured I would have to replace the thin 18 gallon totes every so often, whereas these feel like they will last a lifetime.