What do you put in your nest boxes?

[Bound to Sea]

im gonna try shredded paper......

Let me know! I have lots of that too!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Since I put two golf balls in each nest, all four of the nests are being used. Which is great because I'm getting about 12 eggs a day! Before that, I had 4 hens laying and all the eggs were being laid in just one nest.

 

[LizzzyJo]

That's a brilliant solution! Have you tried shredded paper? My hens love it and they don't seem to kick it out.

I haven't. If they kick out shavings, straw, and dried grass, I don't know why they would keep in paper - but I will certainly grab some from work this week and give it a go! Thanks for the tip!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I haven't. If they kick out shavings, straw, and dried grass, I don't know why they would keep in paper - but I will certainly grab some from work this week and give it a go! Thanks for the tip!

Do your nests have a lip at all, in front? That might help hold nesting material in. Ours are plastic nesting office baskets, if that makes sense. I think we got them at a dollar store, and they have kind of an angled lip at the front. That helps hold the nesting material in. Here's a pic of some being put to a different use.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Well, oops, HERE is the pic! Sorry, this time of day uploading takes foreve

r!

 

[Folly's place]

Mine have a 1"x4" board screwed along the front of the shelf, and higher would be better.
Mary

 

[Bound to Sea]

Well, oops, HERE is the pic! Sorry, this time of day uploading takes foreveView attachment 1895197 r!

Those are great! Super idea! I have one of these lined with indoor outdoor carpet and fluffed up with everything I have tried. Even tacked a curtain around it. This one is the most disrupted one and least layed in. I have two wooden ones they prefer.

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

Why is that? I had the porcelain egg too and they rolled it out of the box too! Looks like an egg much more than a golf ball. Lol!

and now the ceramic egg has dissappeared cant find it anywhere....but they sure didnt like it, the golf balls are still there, they dont bother them! go figure

 

[Claires Poultry]

I've used both hay and pine shavings as nesting material. They both work great, but I think the hens prefer hay over pine shavings.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Those are great! Super idea! I have one of these lined with indoor outdoor carpet and fluffed up with everything I have tried. Even tacked a curtain around it. This one is the most disrupted one and least layed in. I have two wooden ones they prefer. View attachment 1895208

What is that? I don't think I have ever seen anything like it. After almost nine years, we are going to have to replace our plastic boxes before too long, one already shattered (we had five).