Chicken coop cubbies help chickens to lay their eggs. They generally prefer nest boxes or coop cubbies for laying their eggs in a private place.
Using nest boxes or chicken coop cubbies also have some advantages. For example, you can collect eggs easily because your hens lay eggs in one place.
How to Build Chicken Coop Cubbies
You can build necessary nest boxes or coop cubbies by your own. It’s very easy. There are various types of nest boxes are available in the market. But those can be expensive for you.
Why buying those, if you can make it by your own using cheap or used home materials. Learn how to build chicken coop cubbies or nest boxes for your chickens.
Bucket Nest Boxes
You can make great nest boxes for your chickens by using buckets laid on their sides if they give your hens enough room to lay in comfortably. Small sized buckets are suitable for some small sized chicken breeds like Bantams.
Larger sized breeds need large sized (5 gallon) bucket for laying eggs. Keep some hay inside the buckets. For keeping the hay inside, fit a board across the bottom half of the bucket’s opening.
Usually, bakery buckets have a lid. In this case, cut an opening in the lid that will be large enough for the hen to get in and out but wide enough to keep the hay or straw inside. For keeping the buckets from rolling, build a stand with boards.
Crates, Shelves & Others
Some big sized wooden crates are also suitable for building coop cubbies. For example, you can build coop cubbies by using large sized apple crates.
Divide this crates into many cubbies and 1 square feet each. Old shelves, wash basins etc. can also be used as nest boxes for the hens that are looking for places to lay their eggs.
Even you can use, used drawers for making suitable nesting areas for your laying hens. Covered cat litter boxes and cat carriers with the doors removed can be a great nest for the hens.
All this types of nest boxes are very suitable for your hens. Just add some cushioning material like hay or straw and it’s ready as a comfortable nesting boxes for your laying hens.
Milk Crate Nest Boxes
Plastic milk crates work well as nest boxes for chickens. Keep the crates inside your chicken coop, keep some cushioning materials and you chickens will get a comfortable place for laying eggs.
Some Essential Tips
- Try to use one nest box for not more than 100 hens.
- Keep some fake eggs, golf balls etc. for encouraging your hens to use the nest boxes.
- For suitable cushioning materials, you can use hay, wood shavings, straw, shredded paper, pesticide free grass clippings etc.
- Plastic or metal nest boxes are best. Because, those are easily sanitized and cleaned materials. Wood nest boxes are also good and they are very cheap compared to plastic and metal boxes.
Whatever the materials you have used for building nest boxes, ensure that it is fully comfortable for your hens for laying eggs. Change the cushioning materials of the nest boxes on a regular basis. Thus you can make a happy egg laying environment for your lovely hens.
