Nest Boxes

[Ukroosterman 548]

We'll if any of you fellas is looking for some cheap easy to make nest boxes this is what I uses. Take five gallon plastic drum circle or square and cut peice out the front bigger anuff for the hens to go in and out. You can leave them on the ground or attach it to side of the pen then get soft rubber and cut peice bigger anuff to go in bottom then sprinkle in some lime and couple of inches of sand and a handful of bright straw. They work great. good luck ukroosterman.

[DUCKWING 302]

I perfer the 5 gallon buckets with lids ... simply take off the snap on lid and they are stackable taking up less space when not in use .

 

 

Duckwing

[Ukroosterman 548]

I've used them befor they work well. but have had them tip over on me in the past. The drums seem to a little bit more sturdy. Ukroosterman

[DUCKWING 302]

They can be .... I tie the handle to the pen and put a couple of bricks round them ...mainly to stop a nosey cock pushing one around . .....

when you are using 30 drums art a time they take up a lot of space compared to the buckets

 

 

Duckwing

[off the tether 277]

I like mine on natural earth on the ground, better hatch rate, more to the wild side the better for me,mine are chickens not eagles but everybody dose things different that is what makes our hobby so interesting, I think if everybody had one way of doing things we would live in a very boring world just my opinion for what its worth cheers O T T

[off the tether 277]

I forgot to say I only ever single mate my brood fowl, and all I do is put a piece of board up the side of my brood pen,,and let my hens do the rest

[DUCKWING 302]

Must admit ...ott ,

 

I don't like that method ...for many reasons

I had brood pens ....

it takes up pen space as I can lift the hens sitting tight out into a box pen and put another hen into that brood pen ...where as you are stuck with a bird sitting in a pen at least 21 days ... ok if you only hatching a couple of sittings .

 

I too always used a sod of grass turned upside down and hollowed to form the base of a nest ... but in a bucket ....the plastic retains the moisture just the same .

 

Also ..... when the chicks are ready to hatch i can cover the nest keeping the hen inside and sitting .... when you have a split hatch the way you descibed letting a bird sit some hens will come off the nest with a couple of chicks leaving the eggs to go cold .... my method ensures that I have a higher chick percentage leaving the nest .... than the lads who use this method .

 

I do know men that use a similar method as yourself however they are stuck with it because of their original pen set up . ...

 

 

 

Duckwing

[Ukroosterman 548]

I agree with O.T.T. 100 percent closer to nature the better but some time a liltle helping hand from man does no harm. a peice of wood against the side of the pen never work for me for a few reasons. Mainly the ones stated bye D.W and the eggs seem to find there way out the nest to often. Or become soiled or broken. Ukroosterman

[off the tether 277]

as I have stated lads that is what makes our hobby so interesting doing things different as long as we get the results we are looking for is all that counts but that is just my opinion for what its worth, as old blue eyes once sang I did it my way, good luck to all no matter which way you hatch all the best O,T T