Friday, August 13, 2010

Nest Box Cleaning and DIY

All the old straw and wood shavings that were in the nest boxes went into the compost pile. I rigged up the hose to put out a fine spray over the top of the compost pile that helped keep the dust down. I need to put turning the compost pile on my list of stuff to do.

I asked Morgan and the chickens to pose in front of the compost so the photo wouldn't be so boring. I paid the chickens off with a handful of scratch. Morgan was happy to be in the middle of things. Poor Morgan didn't get a treat.




Using scrap pieces of wood I screwed together a wooden cover for the plastic crate and put it in the middle of the communal nest box. This set up makes for three individual nest areas.







Here is the box with fresh straw. I'm curious to know if the hens will lay eggs in the box tomorrow.







I have tried to divide this box before but ended up taking out the crummy scrap wood. This time I screwed in a series of stakes. I use what I have and I have a bunch of stakes.








And here is the stake box with fresh straw. There is a long piece of plywood that fits behind the wire/wood door when it is closed.







I put another plastic crate in the bottom nest box. Sure hope the chickens are happy with their new nest box arrangement.  When the doors are closed on this side all the nests are nice and dark and cozy.

Eggs... eggs girls... I want eggs.

Peek at the Past
I was busy last year too.
(August 13, 2009)

[4 eggs today]

~:>
Smiles

5 comments:

Vicki Lane said...

What a good chicken shepherd you are, to be sure!

lisa said...

I can't wait for our chickens to start laying. Nice boxes, Callie!

LindaG said...

All the reading I've done says chickens turn the compost pile. I guess yours haven't read those articles. ;)

I like how you covered the crate. I was thinking of using crates alone, as we have a lot of random milk crates. I didn't realize they needed to be dark and such, but now I do.

You talk about closing the door. Do you close them in the nesting boxes, or is that like a back door for getting eggs out of the nests?

Looks comfy to me, that's for sure. :)

JoyceAnn said...

Hi Callie ~ The nesting boxes look good , I need to clean mine out too. Hope it'll wait until the weather gets cooler , it's so hot and humid here.

~ Blessings ~

John Going Gently said...

when u want eggs...nothing happens
x