Page 45 - 2024 Poultry Digital Catalog
P. 45
Why nesting boxes are essential...
When nesting, our hens will occasionally hide their eggs and nests. Finding eggs a week or two after they have been laid can be a less than pleasant experience. That’s why providing chickens with a good nesting area is essential—otherwise hens will lay them on the floor, where the eggs are likely to be soiled, cracked and/or hard to reach.
Q. Should I use bedding?
A. With a roll-out tray, you may have to
initially use bedding to train the hens. After the hens get in the habit of laying in the box (with a tray), gradually remove the bedding.
If not using the roll-out trays, we prefer straw or hay—both stay in the box better than shavings.
Q. Why do my hens roost in the box? A. Hens, like humans, prefer a dark,
secluded area to rest their eyes. Nesting boxes provide the ideal environment to “get away from it all”—resulting in filth-covered or broken eggs and a dirty nest box.
Many of our designs feature a roost that’s easy to open/close. Lower the roost in the morning so the hens can lay, and raise it at night to stop hens from taking over the nest boxes.
Q. How do I clean boxes?
A. We remove and powerwash our nest
boxes when needed. Some disinfect with a detergent. To clean plastic nesting pads: soak, then spray with a hose and nozzle. These can be cleaned with a detergent as well.
Use nest eggs!
• To persuade hens to lay eggs in a nesting box (and not elsewhere).
• To discourage egg-eating by hens, a bad habit that can spread rapidly and is hard to stop.
Note: Mark ceramic eggs so you can tell them apart from the real eggs in the nest.
Nest Eggs
Both ceramic and wooden eggs
encourage hens to lay wherever you place the eggs.
Wooden nest eggs discourage egg-eating (hens are unable to break this egg).
Wooden
Ceramic
Wooden Eggs
Chicken Egg, 0.20 lb............... #530137
Ceramic Eggs
Chicken Egg, brown, 0.10 lb .. #530136 Chicken Egg, white, 0.10 lb .... #530138 Quail Egg, white, 0.03 lb ........ #530148 Goose Egg, white, 0.15 lb ....... #530147
$1.41
$1.30 $1.30 $1.10 $1.50
Ceramic
Q. What if the hens don’t lay in the nesting box?
A. Consider these changes:
• Try placing a ceramic or wooden nest
egg (sold at right) in the box.
• Place a comfortable amount of clean bedding in the nesting box. Remove
after they lay regularly in the box.
• Locate nests in secluded areas. Hens prefer to nest where they feel safe
from predators.
Q. Where and how high should I set the nest boxes?
A. Place in corners or dimly lit areas of
the coop. Make sure both you and your birds have easy access to the nests—2 ft high at the base of the nest is reachable for most birds. Egg-stealing pests also have a harder time reaching this height.
Q. Wood, plastic or metal?
A. We’ve sold and used plastic, metal and
wooden boxes over the years, with hundreds of chickens.
Low-traffic boxes: We like plastic for its lack of seams (mites/lice).
High-traffic colony boxes: We like metal—it’s durable, easy to clean and modular (easier to ship).
Nesting/Laying Boxes Comparison Chart (pp. 46–49)
# of Hens Per Box
Price $225
Dividers
Reversible Egg Tray
Removable Nesting Pad
Fold-up Perch
Curtain
Size LWH
HenGear, small
up to 20
8
24"
20"
21"
HenGear, medium
up to 32
$315
8
34"
19.5"
20"
HenGear, large
up to 52
$350
8
54"
19.5"
20"
VersaNest, 2-hole
up to 22
$168
20.5"
19.5"
20"
VersaNest, 4-hole
up to 45
$234
40.5"
19.5"
20"
EcoNest
up to 45
$189
8
8
8
46.5"
19.5"
21"
New! HenHäus
up to 20
$108
8
8
23"
17"
21"
ChickBox w/perch
up to 6
$73
8
8
8
8
12"
12.5"
15"
ChickBox w/o perch
up to 6
$58
8
8
8
8
8
12"
12.5"
15"
Nest-O-Matic
up to 6
$55
8
8
8
12"
12.25"
16.5"
Laying Nests
up to 6
$34
8
8
8
8
8
12"
14.5"
17.7"
premier1supplies.com • 1-800-282-6631 45
