Suggestions for 'homemade" nesting boxes

[Picco]

Kitty litter boxes with those snap-on tops are great for broody hens. I use wooden boxes that I bought at a craft (like Michael's, AC More, JoAnn's...). I have used milk crates which I really liked... they were the right size for large hens, had excellent ventilation and were deep so the hens liked it. 1/2 peck fruit baskets work, as well as stall-corner horse feeders. I used an old metal wash tub once which was great. I filled it with straw and sometimes there would be 3 hens laying together.

 

[joanna]

do you put the milk crates on their side or "normal" with the opening up? I like that idea.

I was going to use 5 gallon buckets with the lid cut in 1/2 to keep the bedding in, but haven't done anything yet. My chickens always seem to like laying on the ground.

 

[4H kids and mom]

I got mine free too!

I asked my local grocery store if I could have a few of those wooden crates they get their oranges and stuff in. I even offered to pay a few bucks for each of them because they were in such great shape, but they just gave them to me! Yay! FREE STUFF ROCKS!

 

[maxandruby]

I have been reading the reply to the question about home made nesting boxes and now have some good ideas to use thanks
My next newby question is, I would like to let my two Banty hens to become broody, is there a placement for the boxes that may encourage them to stay put? they free range during the day, in coop at night. one seems to think hay is great place to lay her eggs other prefers ground. One that lays on the ground will sit for half a day on her egg. no box in the coop yet. tried cardbord box but they torn it up. any ideas would be helpful.

. Max (our rooster) wants to be a Daddy. oaky this proves my newness. will post this question in from egg to hatch. sorry. look beyond your nose!

 

[GoDogGo]

Hi, I also use kitty litter boxes that have covers. My girls like them over the wooden nest boxes and the majority of eggs layed are in the litter boxes. They are easy to clean, they don't habor parasites and they are light weight.
They do come in different sizes too.

 

[jamij]

I am new here but saw this post and had to laugh! I have been saving those wooden clementine crates and now I might just have a use for them

 

[grullablue]

We made our nest boxes out of plywood, and hubby put a hinged "roof" on it so I can just lift the whole thing up...although I usually don't. Great for cleaning though! I think if you look at my page, you should be able to see pics of it. The hens also then use the top of the nest boxes to jump up on their roost. We have a ladder for them, but they dont' use it!

 

[grullablue]

Just looked at my page. No, I never added "finished" pics. My website has pics though... www.glacierridge.com on the chickens page!

 

[mommissan]

I went from stacking totes, to dishpans, cardboard boxes, but they kept flipping the things over. I gave up and stuck the bottom half of a cheap old plastic cat crate in there. Problem solved. They all squish in there together and lay their eggs, sometimes on top of each other.

 

[swga]

I was using a copy paper box, but eventually they figured out it was fun to tear it up- which I would have been fine with, hey, it's easy to get another free box from work, but... they seemed to find the cardboard tasty, which worried me.