AMAZING-Automatic-Egg-Gathering-Nestboxes!!! (almost)

[Obsessive]

We bought some tin nest boxes to put into a tractor. Now Im wondering...

I saw some designs to make nest boxes where the egg will roll out into a chute/tray thingy

so you dont have to open up the boxes to get them (like the commercial guys do it)

Anybody know where there are some practical, (somewhat) cheap, designs to build or modify nest boxes like this?

thanks!

PS. it would be for about 100 chickens per tractor, so how many boxes?

 

[Kansaseq]

That sounds awesome and I'm curious to see the replies.

 

[evonne]

wow... 100 hens?? in a tractor?? that's not a tractor.. that's a mobile home... lol...
i'm not help.... sorry...
but i'd love to see pics of your tractors... i'm still planning coops and runs and tractors for my much smaller flosk.. lol..

 

[Mac in Wisco]

10 to 12 nest boxes should do it. I have roll away nest boxes, but they are commercial units. They are back to back with a center belt for egg collection. Are you looking for something that hangs on the wall and rolls away to the front?

Like this?

http://www.qcsupply.com/qcsupply/br...la=Poultry+Supplies&cm_ite=Front+Rollout+Nest

 

[Obsessive]

Quote:
WOW! the nest boxes we got look almost identical to that one. They have a small arch in the back where it LOOKS like the eggs could roll out. Is that what they are?
And if so, wouldn't I need to put a tray on the back, underneath those arches in order to catch the eggs?

We live on 35 acres and we will prob. rotate our 100 or so chickens behind our Jersey cows and Nubian goats.
We know some people who have a few hundred chickens, and it is a long chore to gather ALL THOSE EGGS from underneath those hens (esp. when they won't move)

So I'm just looking for a more efficient way to do it.

Thanks!

 

[annette'spets]

Question? Only 10 to 12 nest boxes for 100 chickens? I am just starting out with 20 hens ( only 4 months old now) and wanted to get the nests up in the barn for when they do start laying. Thinking 10 boxes for that many hens. Do they all take turns in the boxes? How many times a day do I collect the eggs? They are free range and can come in and go out when ever they feel like it. The boxes on the link were great except the cost. I like wood and thought maybe we could build some- didn't take in about the cleaning of eggs and nest itself so that is a factor in design. Originally was planning to sell the eggs at $3.00 a doz. since so many people have asked for them. Now wondering if spending the money would save a lot of time and "done right the first time". So, for 20 brown egg laying hens, how many boxes are needed? Any advice is appreciated!

 

[ellie_may12]

Annette,

I have 10 hens and 3 nest boxes. They only lay in one of the nests. One they try to roost on at night and end up with poop in it, so I have to clean it daily. One they will use once in a blue moon. My girls do tend to lay all in the same nest, and yes, I do sometimes go out and see one standing "in line" waiting for another to finish up so she can lay her egg.

I love those roll out nest boxes, but really would be concerned that the eggs would pile up because they all use the same box. I saw a video on youtube where a guy built one and lined it with that green "astroturf" grass carpeting. It would be really cool to have a set up like that.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
Hmm, not sure which ones you have. Perhaps this ad shows a little more detail:

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...S291US303&sa=N&um=1&ei=dL4IS86FFYuanAfovPHbCw

Well, the link doesn't work too well but look at the photos of the Brower unit on that page. I think that those type of roll away nests all use the same basic design with a plastic nest bottom that has a roll away channel to a small basket, whether it be to the front or the back. You may be able to get some of the nest bottoms and figure how how to use them with your nests.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Stromberg's has them:

http://www.strombergschickens.com/products/nests.php

Pretty outrageous price once you buy the bottoms plus the pads.

Cutler has them a little cheaper.

McMurray is worse.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

annette'spets :

Question? Only 10 to 12 nest boxes for 100 chickens?

They share. I used to have 15-20 and they used 4 nestboxes which were nothing more than milkcrates sitting on a small shelf in the coop, with a board on top.

Now I have 2500 hens and they share 264 nests. I've been getting 2400 eggs in the nests and a few dozen on the floor. I don't how they manage it, but they do pretty well.​