Backyard Poultry Forum

I'm after advise from all you experts on this forum

Here is list of my collection now, oldest one is around 11 weeks which means I still have time to plan for nesting boxes.

Blue Australorp
light Sussex
Barnevelders
Silver laced Wyandotte
Gold laced Wyandotte
Plymouth Rock
Araucana

All together there are 9 chooks. Still thinking to add one buff Orpington and Sussex

Based on previous experience of dirty eggs all the time, I want to go with roll away type nest.

I have 520mm max available width, so should I divide it into 2 boxes? This will make each box are 245mm wide. or it's better not to partition and just leave one big 520mm wide nest?

I'm expecting these birds gonna grow much bigger compare to my isa browns (previous experience), what would be good depth for nest boxes? 400mm or 500mm?

Option 1: 245mm x 400mm (2 nests)
Option 2: 245mm x 500mm (2 nests)
Option 3: 520mm x 400mm (1 nest)
Option 4: 245mm x 400mm (2 nest)



Planning to give 50mm slope for egg to roll from front to back (350 or 450 mm). Is this enough or should increase this to 70mm? would lay artificial turf as base.

Also would 100mm gap at the end would be enough for egg to roll out to bottom tray?

Here is first rough draft. Thinking to use 12mm thick marine plywood for this project with few coats of oil.

also what size area would be good enough for these chooks?

5m x 5m or larger?

I'd be inclined to go with just one big nest box. They'll probably pick a favourite anyway and all squish into the one box, so I think just leaving it as one big one will be easiest. I'd make a single nest 520 x 400mm, but I'd enclose it on the front as well as sides, with an offset opening on the front for the hens to enter the nest. That way it should feel secure enough even though it's wide.

Pen size, 5 x 5mt is probably fine, but the bigger you go the better.

Agree with Azira - 1 shared nest.
Have a play with slopes and eggs to make sure that there will not be an egg jam at the entrance to the roll away. I have some commercial ones and once the egg goes thru the gap it stops (doesn't change direction) and the rest of the eggs start to back up in the nest.

Thanks for your feedback. So with one large nest which opening option would be the best:



It's front and inside coop upstairs. Chickens will enter from the right hand side where the ramp is.

I'd pick the bottom one. With an offset opening it should help the box feel more secure for the hens. Not that it matters for some chickens, a friend of mine just had one lay an egg in a plastic bag in the middle of his shed, lol.

Thanks Azira, I was inclining more towards this too.

Planning to build over the cup weekend. So will continue with further reading and research till then.

What material would you recommend?
I was thinking to use marine plywood in 6 or 9 mm.

Marine ply should be fine. I'd give it a coat with some paint or oil, etc to seal it more and extend it's life as long as possible.

Thanks Azira, will buy some timber decking oil to apply few coats.

Good information


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We weren't expecting eggs till February but one of the chooks proved us wrong today by laying a very small size egg [emoji2]
It's the one on the left.

Is it okey to eat first egg or better to throw away first couple of eggs?

Eat away (providing they have not been eating medicated feed in the last couple of weeks)

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NellyG ........................

They are on pullet grower and free range in backyard 6 hours daily.

Should I add layer pallets now?

I have 5 boxes that I built from old cupboard doors bolted to the wall in the coop. They seem to split the eggs between 3 boxes on one end. I currently have a broody in one box so they are leaving her alone and laying in the other two.
Keep in mind that marine ply only means the glue is different than structural ply so if it's not completely undercover it would still need sealing. If the nesting box will be under cover I'd save the money and use regular structural ply at half the cost.
Mine are veneered chip board and still look like new after 12 months under cover
Good luck with the project! Look forward to seeing the finished product!

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I should have mentioned that I have 27 chickens with plans for more so 5 boxes is not that outrageous haha.

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