Independence Homestead

We’ve been trying some new setups for laying hens this year, and creating a new hen house meant making new nesting boxes. I used the opportunity to make improvements on prior designs, and here’s a summary of what resulted.

Key Characteristics:

• 4ft long
• 4ft high
• 2 levels
• 15″ deep
• Roll-out style (tilted floor, covered egg storage area)
• Not divided into boxes

The Details:

For the dimensions and general design, I considered that there are about 50 layers that will use this nesting box. I needed it to be large enough to meet their needs. 8 linear feet of nesting space seemed adequate. I made the front about 4 feet high and the back about 2.5ft high so the roof would be steeply slanted to prevent roosting (and pooping!) on it.

In making a new set of nesting boxes, it was important to me that the boxes be roll-out boxes. I find this design is easier for egg collection, keeps the eggs a little cleaner, and helps limit the potential for egg eating by hens.

To make it a roll-out box, I put each nesting shelf on an angle so the eggs would roll forward to the front of the shelf. At the front, there’s a vertical stopping board with doorway insulation pieces there as a bumper. On the top there’s a hinged board that covers the egg collection area. When I collect eggs, I simply flip up that board and grab the eggs.

One of the challenges of the angled design was how to hold a golf ball in place as a fake egg. I’ve had good success showing hens this is where they should lay using a golf ball, but that doesn’t work well on an angled surface where the ball can just roll away! Super glue didn’t hold it in place. I ended up using duct tape to keep the golf ball in the middle of the nesting area, and that’s worked very well.

The floor of each nesting shelf is covered with vinyl flooring. We had some left over from a household project, and I used it here to create a surface that could be easily cleaned. A clean nesting box helps with clean eggs!

Another detail I want to mention is how I didn’t construct nesting boxes, but rather nesting shelves. In a prior nesting box setup I tried this “shelf” idea out after reading about it. It’s much easier to construct, uses less material, and the hens like it just fine. I guess with the curtains in the front and a tarp in the back, they feel it’s plenty private even without sidewalls.

The nesting box has been in use for about a month now, and it’s working great! This is being used with hens just starting to lay, and most of the eggs are being laid in the nesting box. They stay clean, and none have been broken. Overall I’m very happy with this design.