Laying boxes - best size

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by Veggie Boy, Nov 1, 2005.

  1. Veggie Boy

    Veggie Boy Junior Member

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    Since our chooks were all killed by foxes, I have started a major refurb on the old chook pen. I am throwing the old laying box setup as the fly is pretty rotten. Intend to rebuild using something more weatherproof - probably fibre cement sheeting (blue board). I was just wondering if aybody had the measurements for best size for each of the individual laying areas - I will have five or six individual sections/laying areas in the unit I build. I will be buying a laying type cross - road island red and whatever else cross - as you know they arenot huge chooks.
     
  2. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    Smaller-breed chooks can be perfectly happy in boxes 12"/30cm square. My larger Buff Orps like their 16"/400cm boxes.

    Sue
     
  3. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    g'day veggieboy,

    old lawn mower catchers mate and the big benefit as they are black they make a nice dark place that the chooks prefer when laying eggs.

    good luck with the revamp.

    len :)
     
  4. forest

    forest Junior Member

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    Our laying boxes are about 16'x14", made of black marine ply and I use shredded paper as nesting material. Even Big Bertha, my light sussex, is happy in those boxes.
     
  5. bazman

    bazman Junior Member

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    Here's some pics of my setup, the girls seem to like it and as sometimes you get a couple of chooks in one box they still have room to move. I used old fence hardwood from around here, the unit is a little heavy to move by myself but was built in two parts so I can move it out if I need too.

    They also lay in the cardboard boxes on the top too, well they used too, I have also found that adding some old sacks that can be drop over the boxes stopped the brooding chooks, this stopped three brooders in one day.

    https://soulkeeperproductions.com/baz/chook_003.jpg

    https://soulkeeperproductions.com/baz/chook_004.jpg

    https://soulkeeperproductions.com/baz/chook_005.jpg
     
  6. Mcgrathfarm

    Mcgrathfarm Junior Member

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    we made these nesting boxes
    they have removable nesting trays,30cmx35cm,
    a sloping roof to stop chooks nesting up there
    venting at the sides for air flow in summer
    and a water supply set up on the side
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    this has been up for 18 months now and is perfect for the job, the water stays clean and will last a month before refilling,
     
  7. dryland dweller

    dryland dweller Junior Member

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    Like Len says I use old mower grass catchers too and the chooks love them :D I have Isa Browns to give an idea of chook size
    Pete
     
  8. barely run

    barely run Junior Member

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    My 5 girls share a mower catcher but as they are eating their eggs :evil: it's a moot point....They just tractors at present....until they get to be dog food.
    Cathy
     
  9. Veggie Boy

    Veggie Boy Junior Member

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    Thanks guys.

    I have seen mower catchers used before - but I am unlikely to be able to source the number I want - as I will have 20 chooks this time around and I want to finish the pen ASAP.

    Baz - your boxes are huge - are you sure they aren't human birthing suites :D

    McGrathFarm - yours are very flash. How does the water thing work - I can't see where the tube goes. Also, are the trays perforated or something - look like potting trays. Do you lay any nesting material on them - or do the chooks just lay on the plastic?

    Looks like the consensus is somewhere between 30 and 40 cm wide and about the same deep should be fine. I will measure up and see what suits the area in which I am putting the boxes.

    Thanks for your advice 8)
     
  10. ~Tullymoor~

    ~Tullymoor~ Junior Member

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    VERY flash Mrs Mac!! Yes, please, tell us about the watering thingo....I hate filling up waters each day :(
    BTW, my lot don't have nesting boxes they have tyres filled with hay but just lay anyoldwhere they like in little "nests" in the hay on the shed floor :D
     
  11. Veggie Boy

    Veggie Boy Junior Member

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    I have an automatic waterer in my pen. It is an old enamel toilet cystern with normal toilet float assembly - but flush hole sealed. It is great, just tip it out every week or so to get rid of any stray poo and mozzie lava.
     
  12. Tamandco

    Tamandco Junior Member

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    I've got a lawn mower catcher in with the silkies and its RED! That means it goes faster! It's low for them though. Chooks actually stand at the moment of laying so there's no way I'd use catches for my Australorps, or any of the big girls for that matter.

    My Lorp house has a proper externally mounted unit, cleverly build by the previous owners.

    Here are some pics:

    [​IMG]

    These nesting boxes are mounted on the outside so they sit flush with the wall. Access is via a flip top lid from outside the chicken coop. When I had the silkies in here, I had to attach the mesh flap (which you can just see at the top of the pic, on hinges) to close the nesting boxes at night, otherwise they'd sleep in there and poo in there. The flap is also operated via pulleys from outside the coop. Initially, there was a fence paling running along the front at the bottom of the boxes, but once again, those dippy silkies would perch on it, and once again poo in the nesting boxes so I replaced it with a strip of mesh which is less comfortable for them and thus a deterent. I swear those chooks are BLONDE!

    [​IMG]

    This is in my new coop, which I'll also use as breeding pens cos it can be split down the middle, and each side has it's own access door. I'll eventually build something like the lorps have but for the time being, the catcher's doing the job, although 2 or 3 would be better cos they have to queue for it. :roll: I'll keep looking on the hard rubbish, although I've heard they've postponed our xmas one until next year. Don't know what I'm going to do for presents for the kids. :oops:

    Tam
     

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