Topic of the Week - Nest boxes

[jeria]

Thought that might be the reason, thanks. Will have to think about doing that.

 

[hlhutchinson]

We use a milk crate (with the opening facing up). We keep it full of straw in the back corner of the coop. When I clean, I add fresh straw and take out any obvious poop, occasionally sprinkling a bit of DE. Because we don't have a rooster, we just break broody hens as soon as the broodiness sets in!
To attract the ladies, we place a couple of eggs in the box and empty any "secret nests" that come up just in case; even if they stop for a while they eventually go back to it. I haven't had a problem with them sleeping in it except for when our bantam goes broody, but when she does, I put her on the roost when it's dark so she is less likely to go back to it. Hope that helps with any questions

Oh my had to do a double take at first I though you said milk jug. I was thinking how in the world did you use that

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

uggh! We did our first major revamp of our new coop today. We went from 2 stacked nesting boxes to a row of 4 boxes. Girls are looking like they might be getting close to laying and our roo is starting to woo them. So... we wanted to make a few changes. We went from this:
to this:

Thinking that the row is better than the stacked. More room for them to move around for sure and gave us another place for a high roost. Not sure if we gave them too much space between box and top board though. Thinking we could put up a curtain if needed for privacy.
Now for the ugh!... I went in about an hour later and the hens are snacking on the pine shavings! Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

I forgot to mention in my post above all of our hens are pullets and our roo is a cockerel. The oldest group of girls is 17 weeks tomorrow. The second group is 16 weeks tomorrow (that is the group the roo is in) We also have a group of 12 week olds, but I'm know they aren't close to laying. I am also curious at what point I should put in my ceramic eggs into the boxes?

 

[GC-Raptor]

I forgot to mention in my post above all of our hens are pullets and our roo is a cockerel. The oldest group of girls is 17 weeks tomorrow. The second group is 16 weeks tomorrow (that is the group the roo is in) We also have a group of 12 week olds, but I'm know they aren't close to laying. I am also curious at what point I should put in my ceramic eggs into the boxes?

My Golden Comets ate pine shavings regularly even after I put them in coop at 5 1/2 weeks. I changed to compacted straw.
I would put ceramic eggs in boxes when they start to squat and their combs get red. GC

 

[Gail Laubenthal]

We put a row of 6 laying boxes in today since all of my old girls joined their young sisters. These were very easy but will be new. Hope they like them. I did put golf balls in each because I want all hens to realize what they are suppose to do in there. I was surprised to find an egg in a bag pine shavings since my oldest Comet is only 17 weeks...could it be laying already?

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

Here are a couple more nest box questions.

Does anyone do nest boxes in the run as well as the coop?

We also have 3 silkies, would it work to put a nest box floor level for them?

 

[GC-Raptor]

View attachment 1065076 View attachment 1065078 We put a row of 6 laying boxes in today since all of my old girls joined their young sisters. These were very easy but will be new. Hope they like them. I did put golf balls in each because I want all hens to realize what they are suppose to do in there. I was surprised to find an egg in a bag pine shavings since my oldest Comet is only 17 weeks...could it be laying already?

My first Golden Comet laid at 16 1/2 weeks and the second pullet laid the next day. All 5 were laying by 19 weeks. GC

 

[GC-Raptor]

Here are a couple more nest box questions.

Does anyone do nest boxes in the run as well as the coop?

We also have 3 silkies, would it work to put a nest box floor level for them?

One of my girls lays an egg or 2 in the pen weekly. GC

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

My Golden Comets ate pine shavings regularly even after I put them in coop at 5 1/2 weeks. I changed to compacted straw.
I would put ceramic eggs in boxes when they start to squat and their combs get red. GC

Our coop is sand. Our run is 2/3 sand, 1/3 straw/dirt. I'm hoping they will loose interest in the shavings

We have 3 hens with really red combs/wattles and another on the way. No squatting that I've observed. Just the mess making in the nest box.