Window box - nest box

[huck]

Has anyone done a mock-up window box out of their pop-out nest box?

I know it HAS to be possible. Just wondering if anyone out there has done it, and if they can post pictures before I try and tackle my own....

I'm hoping to do something like this:

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i253/EmilionGreen/coop20001.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i253/EmilionGreen/coop30001.jpg

I don't mind using fake flowers! And I'm open to suggestions about egg collecting... although I think I can just reach through the back door of the coop and gather the eggs just fine.


Cheers,
Huck

 

[lngrid]

I'm guessing it would be just fine, but you might want to keep a few things in mind.

1. Will the chickens be able to get up there and "taste" the decor? I don't know if they would be at all interested in fake greenery but if they are, what might it do to their crops? Chickens are very smart at being chickens, but fake greenery isn't a normal part of chicken life.

2. Will the seam between the nest boxes and the coop wall prevent moisture from leaking in? If the coop has eaves there, you don't need to worry.

3. Be careful about making holes to attach the greenery. Again, rainwater is the enemy. It'll rot the wood over time or it might just leak down holes through the box tops. I wonder if you can hot-glue fake greenery.

4. Would natural greenery be a good idea? The plants and their growing medium would add extra weight for the nest boxes to support. Again, if the chickens can get up there could they knock it off, possibly injuring their buddies below?

 

[huck]

Thanks for your pointers!

I am thinking the fake flowers or ivy would be best-- it'll require less maintenance, will weigh much less than real flowers and soil, and would not require watering-- which might seep into the coop or nest boxes.

The chickens will not be able to climb into the flower-part of the boxes...as the nest boxes will be on the exterior of their coop, and I was thinking of using fine mesh in the window to prevent them from poking their heads out and nibbling on anything.

I was hoping someone may have tried this project in the past and might be able to share pictures.... we'll see! Even if they don't come through, I'll start the boxes and windows this weekend.

 

[CityChook]

I think it would be super cute.
I haven't done it (eggs freeze too fast in an exterior box here in MN), but this is how I would do it:

Frame it as two rectangles, stacked on top of each other. Top box would have it's own subfloor. Along the top frame, edge it with trim moulding to make it pretty. This would also serve as a "lip" to drop in those plastic inserts for the dirt. May have to angle the floor slightly for any excess water to run off. Seal your seams with silicone and prime inside and out with oil-based primer. Paint with several coats of exterior enamel.
Build the nest box in the bottom rectangle. Maybe you could make the front hinge outwards (attached at bottom, opening at the top under the trim moulding) to access the eggs. Or, if it isn't too long, you could make trap doors in each endcap. If you used ivy for the boxes, the top box wouldn't have to be quite so deep -- shallow roots.

Make sure you post photos if you do this. I think it would be adorable.