Wastebasket/recycle bin nesting box

[cheapcheepcheep]

Hi,
I'm getting my coop together, and even though my chicks are not that close to egg laying time, I'm still thinking about nesting boxes. At work, they were ditching a few of these:



Would this be an acceptable nesting box? It's 12" tall and 12" deep, but the opening is only 7" wide, which I'm worried is too narrow. I was going to build some with scrap wood, but I like the idea of having something I can just take out and clean easily (and is free and requires me to not remind myself of how not a builder I am).

 

[turtlebird]

You are right, too narrow. If you cut the long side off of two, you could screw them together(making sure the smooth side of the screw is on the inside) and have one that is 12x12x14 high (the height could be adjustable. Plastic would be easier to clean. The only other issue I can think of is that without a lip at the front opening, the ladies might kick all your nesting material out? That could be remedied by tipping the front up just a little bit?
Way to be creative, resourceful, and earth friendly!

 

[cheapcheepcheep]

If I go this way, I was going to put the front on a bit of 2x4 or something for exactly that reason!

Bummer that these are too narrow, but I figured as much. I found another wastebasket that's 14" tall, 15" deep, and 10" wide. Is that still too narrow?