Best nest box - backyard poultry

reading time: 8 minutes

Written by Frank Heymann – A lot of thought went into the design and construction of our nest box. It’s such an important feature that my wife asked me to install a path to it. We wanted something attractive and comfortable for the chickens that was also easy to collect eggs from and clean up. It had to be something that could be built from scraps of plywood, sheet metal, and other pieces that were already lying around. We wanted the neighborhood kids to feel like they could help take care of our birds, so the nest box needed to be elevated for me and a chest for them. Finally, the box has to be cute.

Frank and Chris’ Hentopia barn with red metal pagoda roof and outdoor crate. *Photo by the author.*

Nest Box basics

Hens have some basic requirements for nesting boxes. They prefer one box for every three to five hens. It only takes half an hour for them to dive into the nest and lay an egg that day. If the boxes are all occupied, most chickens will wait their turn patiently.

Hens want a dark place out of sight from predators. But you don’t want them to be able to perch on top of the nest box because they will defecate in it at night, and the eggs laid the next day will be covered in manure. Each nest box should be large enough to sit comfortably in, but also snug; A 12″ x 12″ cube open on the side of the barn works well. For what we had in mind, we will need to build the side walls, floor and roof for the nest boxes while the back wall will be the hatch door. For larger breeds, you may want it to be up to 14 inches and for large breeds, it may be up to 8 inches. But many people keep a variety of hens happy with all the boxes built in the shape of a 12-inch cube.

Construct a side view of the nest box diagram where it will be attached to the coop. *Photo by the author*.

Attaching a nest box to the coop means that it will be a dark place during the day when the hens lay their eggs. If it is protruding from the outer wall of the coop, it will not be under the perches. Mounting the nest box on an outside wall of the coop also makes it easier for the chicken keeper; You don’t have to go into the barn or barn to collect eggs. This is a great time saving innovation. Plus, you won’t get chicken poop on your shoes as you walk through the pen and come home to cook an omelet.

Sometimes, hens may need a little encouragement to start laying eggs in a certain location, even in the best nest box. Place a ceramic or plastic Easter egg in the nest boxes. Even a golf ball will work. Your hens will think that another, smarter hen chose this nest as a safe place to lay her eggs. Chickens have a “follow the leader” culture. Sometimes you have to be that leader.

Building ideas

Before building our co-op, we attended many co-op tours and perused many co-building books and websites. Almost all turf box constructions mounted outside of a barn provide access through a hinged roof, almost like a tool box. But one hen-keeper did not put hinges on the roof. Instead, it had hinges on wall From her nest box, like a bread box. I call this type of hinged wall a hatching (Good for chicken, eh?). This opening not only makes the nest box accessible to babies and shorter chicken keepers, but also creates a flat space to set up the egg carton while you collect the eggs with both hands. This arrangement also makes cleaning faster. Just vacuum spent bedding straight from the nest boxes with the opening hanging down. To save even more time, we hang the whisk broom on a small hook near the nest box, under the eaves. It stays dry, but it always comes in handy when we see the nest box has come to be cleaned.

All three spaces are occupied, from left to right: Copper Marans, Rhode Island Red, and Buff Orpington. *Photo by the author.*

Our nest box is built from scraps of plywood and boards that are at least three-quarters of an inch thick. You could use thicker wood, like a 2×4, but I wouldn’t go any lighter. You need this amount of wood to reduce warping as the wood dries and to allow you to drive a nail through the edge of the wood.

Plywood is difficult to cut, even for a professional. But big box stores can safely perform both horizontal and vertical cuts with this machine. Often the first two pieces are free. Subsequent cuts may cost 50 cents each. *Photo by the author.*

With in-store cutting, you don’t need a pickup truck to haul a sheet of plywood home. *Photo by the author.*

When you’re ready to start building the box, remember that nails will hold better than nails. And if you need to move the coop or want to reinforce the nest box, screws will allow you to take it apart without chipping it. Mark on the first piece of wood for the box with a pencil where the screw will go and drill a hole the same size or slightly smaller than the threads of the screw. The screw should slide hard through the first piece of wood and bite hard into the second piece of wood.

Surface

Since the nest box protrudes from the wall of the coop, it will need a waterproof roof. I used a piece of bright red scrap metal on the top of our nest box. But other roofing options will work, too: asphalt shingles, cedar shingles, old license plates, no. 10 cans, a miniature green roof, etc. I recommend thinking of a nest box roof as a small-scale but very visual opportunity to decorate your barn and give it some charm and personality.

hinges

Our nest box opening has hinges on the bottom and latches on the sides. You can use gate hinges from the hardware store that are designed for outdoor use and they won’t rust. I saved a little money by making three “Country” hinges out of scrap sheet metal and brass screws (other screws may corrode the brass). Using scrap sheet metal of any kind, pre-drill a hole in the metal that is wider than the screw threads. Then mark and pre-drill a hole in the wood just the width of the screw post so everything is snug. These “hinges” don’t move as smoothly as a gate hinge, but they are cheaper and work well enough.

Frank saved money by using scrap metal to make a triple-hinged “country” for the hatch bottom. *Photo by the author.*

latches

Your hatch latch should be secure enough to deter raccoons without making things too uncomfortable for the chicken keeper. Some people have resorted to using locks, but I think carabineers are tricky enough to keep raccoons away (or so I hope). The type of spring-loaded latches found on dog leashes are also easy to use, but some people say they are not raccoon-proof. So it is up to you to decide the trade-off between risk and comfort.

You will need a latch on each side of the hatch to close it, keeping the chickens safe from predators. *Photo by the author.*

The carabineers on our nest box secure a pair of clips that hold the nest box opening tightly when closed, to reduce drafts. To attach the clamps, you may need an assistant. One person holds the eyelet in place and the other places the hasp in place. With a pencil, mark the location of the screws. Pre-drill these holes with a bit the same thickness as the screw shaft. This way the screw will glide smoothly through the holes in the hasp and the screw threads will bite properly through the wood.

Aperture levers

In order for the hole to form a counter-like surface, you will need a wooden support arm that swings under the nest box. I used 2″ x 2″ pieces of wood, but any dimension will do. I cut the pieces about 10 inches long with a 45 degree bevel on each end for a fuller look. These cuts can be made with a circular saw if you want to be quick, with a table saw if you want to be precise, with a jigsaw if you want to be quiet, and a hand saw if you want to get sturdy.

One support arm under it would suffice, but Frank overdid it and installed two. This photo shows the support arms in the closed position. *Photo by the author.*

Then pre-drill a hole wider than the screw threads through the middle of each arm. Choose a screw that is short enough that it will not pierce the floor of the nest box. Slide the screw through the support arm and screw it into the floor of the nest box. But it is not so tight that it prevents the arm from turning. When the lever is put away it should be flush with the hole when it is closed. When I want to open the hatch, I swing the arm out 90 degrees, remove the carabiner, open the clips, and gently swing the hatch downward to rest on the support arms.

The opening keeps our chickens safe from drafts and predators. When we want to collect eggs or clean nest boxes, we have easy access and a good view into the coop.

Frank’s neighbor Michaela collects the eggs which are accessed through the hatch, which can also be used as a convenient surface for loading the eggs into a carton. *Photo by the author.*

As a final touch, we decorated the opening of the nest box with a drawer pull with a cocked rooster. It is just decorative as it takes two hands to open the clips and open the hatch. But it does fit one design goal: It’s cute.

Equipment list

tape measure
4-by-4-foot sheets of 3/4-inch plywood
Carpenter’s Square or Square
2 to 4 feet long level
sign
panorama
Drill with assorted bits
Screwdriver
1 1 5/8″ outside screw box
One pair of 4″ hinges
pencil
1 pair of 2 inch latches
2- A piece of wood with a diameter of 2 inches and a length of about 10 inches
Two 2-inch bolts to serve as the pivot for the support arm
Six external 3-inch screws
One 26-inch by 15-inch piece of rolled asphalt roofing
Multi-use knife
1 dozen galvanized roofing nails (1/2 inch or 5/8 inch)
Needle nose pliers
–HentopiaStory Publishing, North, Adams, MA, 2018, p. 133.

Frank Heyman He is a carpenter, welder, and stonemason with forty years’ experience building farms, gardens, and homes on two continents. He has a BA in Horticulture and Design. Frank is also the author of the game-changing, low-cost, low-tech, no-maintenance book, Hentopia: creating a hassle-free environment for happy chickens; 21 projects From Story to publish.

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