egg layer ?

[farmerjim]

i have an old chicken coop on my property and want to get some egg layers. i was looking into buying some nest boxes but they're a bit expensive. was wondering where i can get some plans to build some. i've never had poultry b4, i only have experience w/ cows and we had a few pigs b4. any help would be great, i 'm getting some rhode islands and some other rhode island cross breed thats a "rare breed", from a friends dad.thanks

 

[shvl73]

How many chickens? We have 10 and have a couple of plastic pet carriers with some straw in them. The birds will lay in there. Some get a little broody and hog the box, but for the most part, it works. They take turns. If you reach under one of the broody hens, you're apt to find 4-5 eggs. Some hens will just hollow out some straw on the floor and lay there. We bring in eggs a couple of times a day.

 

[Soundguy]

In my chix pens I have 5g buckets laye don their side.. or those plastic rectangular kitty litter buckets. My chix lay great and like the cozy little 'laying' boxes.

soundguy

 

[farmerjim]

thanks for the ideas. those plastic kitty litter boxes are fairly cheap and that will help my costs, to do some work on the coop.

 

[Soundguy]

I imagine the kity litter boxes will work to.. but I was actually refering to the rectangular 4-5g buckets that the scoopable litter comes in... pretty much the same as laying a bucket on it side.

in my banty houses, I use some 2g buckets...

Soundguy

 

[schmism]

for all you chicken needs....

BackYardChickens Forum

nest boxes are fairly easy to build out of 1x12... there are a number of plans and pics floating around that site.

 

[randy41]

or plywood

 

[LC '92]

Second vote for 5 gallon buckets. I angle mine and fill them with coastal hay. The girls just love laying eggs in them.

 

[Soundguy]

Ditto. I usually lay a firing strip along the line and set the bucket lips on it, that way they angle back a bit.. and yep.. a litlle hay swept up off the barn floor is what they like to set in. I usually make rows of these boxes, and then slap a small frame over the row using 2x2 then use a piece of roofing tin to make them a sun / rain shield ( chicken awning.. ).

soundguy

 

[ALBALD1]

I cut a hole on the outside wall & hung my egg boxes(4boxes for 18 hens) on the outside. it has its own door, so i can check eggs w/out going into the coop. sometimes thats a nice convenience when i have good shoes on & don't want chicken poo on them.