Wood vs Metal Nesting Boxes

[Bramley]

Hello,

My husband and I are new at raising chickens, but are loving our flock of 9 girls and one rooster named Elvis. Our chickens are now 4 months old and we are about to put nesting boxes in the coop.

Any advice on using wood vs metal boxes and if anyone is familiar with using the roll out bottom? We live in Virginia - have hot summers and can have very cold temps Dec - Feb. I am a little concerned about using metal boxes as far as heat and cold.

I have been learning a lot from Backyard Chickens - any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Pam

 

[islafarm]

Hi Pam and

!

Have you considered plastic? Many people use plastic totes with a hole cut in the side, or buckets laid on their side (for smaller breed chickens). The plastic has a few advantages:

~ easier to clean
~ fewer nooks and crannies for insects / parasites to hide in
~ slightly more insulating than metal,
~ lasts longer than wood
~ efficient and inexpensive, comes ready made !

there are 'plans' and photos for making nest boxes from totes on the forum, and even on youtube.

 

[donrae]

I also vote for plastic. I just lay totes on their sides on the ground and use the deep litter for bedding. I get broken eggs from time to time and can't imagine trying to clean out wooden boxes.

 

[Bramley]

Thank you for your advice - I like the "easy to clean" aspect of using plastic!

Pam

 

[Folly's place]

I use plastic 'egg crates', on a shelf with a board across the front to hold the bedding. A pad on the bottom; right now it's folded feed bags. Shavings and hay as nest material. easy to clean out, very ventilated, and cheap. No roll-out egg savers, though. My coop is older, well used, unpainted, and generally functional, not pretty. The wooden top needs to be at a steeper angle, too. Mary

 

[Hokum Coco]

Any advice on using wood vs metal boxes and if anyone is familiar with using the roll out bottom?

Thanks!
Pam

Nest boxes
My nest boxes are the same as Folly's and I have my poop boards and roost located above them. I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new. Feed bags are a nylon mesh bag.
Frozen poop just peels off in below freezing temperatures and just flakes off in summer when left out in the sun to bake and dry.

I have 65 trips around the sun it is the best method I have stumbled upon.

Make sure the twine is removed from the open end of the bag it can get tangled around your birds.

 

[Bramley]

Great idea using the feed bag - I will definitely try that one.
Right behind you with those trips around the sun!