I have tried just about every thing possible for nesting boxes from apple boxes, tidy cat litter containers, five gallon pails, pet crates, and even commercial laying boxes. This is my favorite so far and the BLR hens really seem to like the feel of these wicker cat nests. A benefit is that they can't scratch the litter out easily, and they remain upright fairly well. I'd be interested to hear your ideas...Scott
Sure looks cute! Horn a plenty Chicken? :) Great idea!
I just use external nest boxes mostly.
Z
Do you have trouble with any of your chickens either sleeping in the boxes, or messing them up with poop alot? I hates dirty eggs!
My standard layers have been very good about keeping their nest boxes clean. But then I put some fledgling Speckled Sussex and Fayoumi into the chicken yard and they decided to sleep there. So one half of the box is clean and the other is disgusting.
I really like the cat basket--can you clean them? My Nankins will only nest in the lavender bushes under the garage overhang. They just hatched out two Nankin and two Serama there. I wonder if the natural woodiness of the wicker would appeal to them?
I did when they were younger.. but not now. I read somewhere to put the roost above the nest box to avoid that.. and the nest box like 2 or 3' off the ground..
I think there is still one trying to sleep in them.. I just load up the ones that they are not using with extra shavings, so I can do a quickie clean up and toss a few more shavings in from the "spare" spot in the corner.. :)
I have two types of nesting boxes, I have six wicker baskets that work excellent, but yes some of the birds want to roost in them and thats where they get messy. My other eight nests are plastic recycling bins. They are 14x18 and I line the bottom and three sides with very thin 1/8 thick plywood so they can't kick out the shavings and these are always clean and stay clean. The wicker is tough but hard to clean when soiled. Haystack
I just have the 4 boxes DH built as a bump out on the coop. With the multiple broody girls, I may need to rethink that. They have nowhere to lay if more than one is ready. I found 2 empty egg membranes on the coop floor yesterday! NOT good. They must have layed them on the coop floor and they ate them! AGHHHH!!! Thanks for the idea of the basket. Where did you get yours?
mine used to sleep in the nesting boxes all the time but they stopped for some reson or another so now i get clean eggs again
Mine used to sleep in the nesting boxes until we built a ladder type roost for them. Now they just sleep on the roost and the nesting boxes are nice and clean.
Love the wicker!
I bought my wicker baskets at Fred Meyer, they were on sale for $1.98 so I bought all there was. I have seen an aful lot of them at the second hand stores though. Haystack. I really like the recycle bins. I put a divider in them and they house two birds at a time. So If one had four of them them you essentially had eight. I do get quite a laugh when two birds want the same half and they end up on top of each other. And they are so stuborn the one side remains empty. They are always clean and I like that.
I love the wicker basket look. I've been considering having a separate laying area that is like a mini-coop, but only open in the daytime, and closed at night. This might prevent unwanted sleeping/roosting in the nesting area and thus prevent soiling. It's just a thought, I don't know if it would work.
I built some nest boxes as a bump-out on the coop with a drop down door for ease of egg picking, put in some golf balls for the hens to get the idea.....I might get 1 egg a day in the nest box.
The hens have different ideas....like using a old tire
And you can ask 'someone' to keep his work bench tidy but come to find out the girls don't mind the mess at all....
Stacy on the left, eggs behind the toolbox in the lower right....
Oh, that is a riot!!! I love the tire swing nest!!! Maybe they can build you something while the one is on the bench! CUTE!!
I use plastic milk crates with hay in them. My 2 young chicks sleep in one together.
One of hen's favorites are old dresser drawers that were headed to the dump.. Some are the larger ones and also the smaller ones..I've used just about anything in between also, lol
Larkie
Everything but the kitchen sink? or did you go there too?? hehehe
Hey, I have a few extra sinks lying around...
LMBO I suppose a toilet would work as well. The yard might look a bit odd but the hens may love it. (There goes the neighborhood)
Confession time. I've wanted for years to use an old toilet as a planter. White porcelain with wave petunias...
hehehe!!! Confession. My father used our old porcelain claw foot tub as a planter!! What I wouldnt do to have that back and in my bathroom. He replaced it with a new PLASTIC tub! ugh! Oh go for it grow. (how close are your neighbors?) LMBO
They're my parents....lol, close enough!!
Soooo, they are pretty cool. Or at least loving and tolerant. As long as its not a port-a-potty!
Hey, you're right!! Now to find the perfect spot for it -where it looks most natural...
LMBO, is there such a place??? I am truely LOL!!!
I think it would be good surrounded by some ornamental grasses on one side, so that it has a sort of a "screen" effect. That would be funny.
LOL, privacy! HAHAHA
LOL! Haven't given up on it yet...
My male German Shepherd always "backs" into something to do his business, like a bush or pole or tall bunch of grasses...as if he wants to hide behind something. He also looks very sheepish during the whole thing. I have never seen a dog so embarrassed by being seen.
Nice. No surprises on the shoes!
That is funny Catscan. I have never seen a dog do that. My ferrets back up to doodle. hehehe
I had a co-worker who owned an Akita male that would back up to any building to do his business. She then would have to clean his fur before he could come back into the house. Me thinks it would be an outside dog!!
Oh no!! LOL. Mine go out in public and look at me with that "SEE how GOOD I'm being?!" look on their faces...
Lol! Mine always look at me w/ the embarrassed look! I always feel like I should apologize for infringing on their privacy!! lol!
