External nest box safe height outside coop?

[KerrieO]

We're building our first coop and run and it's on a slope and I just realized that because of the slope, the external nesting boxes are closer to the ground than seems safe (we have racoons, mink, rats plenty of predators). The external nest boxes will be on the uphill-most side of the coop. We were also hoping to have the nesting box open down to minimize the chance of the hens flying out when my kids collect eggs - which is why we're doing external nesting boxes too - kid friendly, as well as space efficient. If I put the bottom of the nesting boxes at 18 in above the floor on the inside of the coop, when I go outside the coop the bottom of the next box would be less than 18 inches from the ground (depending on how close to the coop I am on the slope). I'm attaching a little drawing to help make this more clear.

So...should I raise the nesting boxes higher? How high? I'm finding myself googling things like 'how high can a racoon reach, when standing on its back legs? We'll of course have latches to secure the exterior door on the nest box, but putting it as far above predator reach as possible (while being easy to access for our kids) also seems like a good idea.

And related - I need to make sure my roosts inside the coop are higher than the nesting boxes, right? How high can I make the roost before I need to build the hens a ladder to get to them. I guess I have the same question about the nest boxes.

Thanks so much for all your help!

 

[Sally PB]

You don't want you nest boxes so high in the coop that you have to make your roosts too high. How high is too high...? Depends on how well your birds can get up to the roosts. Big heavy birds will have trouble getting up there, and may injure their feet getting down.

If you can move them up, and not have that problem, I'd say, move them up. But if roost height will be an issue, then I'd find a way to secure the boxes on the outside to keep predators out.

A secure latch system might be all you need, as long as the hatch doors are strong enough to keep out whatever predators you have.

Another thing to remember... raccoons, if you have them around, are VERY clever at opening latches.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Raccoons can climb. No matter how high you make the nests, raccoons can climb. What you need to do is make the nests strong and lock well to keep raccoons out. I don't know how old your kids are but they need to be able to open the lock you select and be dependable enough to lock it back up.

I'd want the door to be where you and the kids can see before they stick a hand inside. I can't think of anything more thrilling than to blindly reach in expecting to find an egg and touching a snake instead. I'd worry more about being able to see in there instead of not wanting a hen to escape.

The roosts need to be noticeably higher than anything you don't want them to sleep on. In one of these teeny minimum space coops (probably elevated) with only a few hens 6" might be enough. In a bigger walk-in coop 12" might be better.

What chickens will you have? Some like Silkies or Frizzles can't fly so they may need ramps for everything. Chickens with their vision blocked like Polish may need help. Bantams can usually fly really well. My Sussex, Delaware, Orpington, Rocks, and such have no problems flying up to and down from my 5' high roosts or to my 4' high nests without ramps or ladders. My coop is big enough that they have room to spread their wings and fly. I don't have any ramps or ladders. I made steps at my pop door inside and outside so newly hatched chicks can get in and out easily. I made steps to my elevated grow out coop so a crippled turkey could get up there and left them. The 5 week old and older chicks don't need the steps but I didn't see any good reason to remove them.

 

[3KillerBs]

Raccoons can climb. No matter how high you make the nests, raccoons can climb. What you need to do is make the nests strong and lock well to keep raccoons out. I don't know how old your kids are but they need to be able to open the lock you select and be dependable enough to lock it back up.

I'd want the door to be where you and the kids can see before they stick a hand inside. I can't think of anything more thrilling than to blindly reach in expecting to find an egg and touching a snake instead. I'd worry more about being able to see in there instead of not wanting a hen to escape.

I agree fully with both these points.

The door of the nests need to be sturdy and tight-fitting -- both to defeat the raccoons AND to keep the snakes from getting in.

I didn't blindly touch a snake, I went looking for it on purpose after the chickens had freaked out about something in one particular nest. I also pulled one off the wall while it was trying to insert itself into the egg collection door.

(My coop is snakeproof if all the doors are closed and latched but I had snakes get in while the door into the run was open. ).

 

[KerrieO]

Raccoons can climb. No matter how high you make the nests, raccoons can climb. What you need to do is make the nests strong and lock well to keep raccoons out. I don't know how old your kids are but they need to be able to open the lock you select and be dependable enough to lock it back up.

I'd want the door to be where you and the kids can see before they stick a hand inside. I can't think of anything more thrilling than to blindly reach in expecting to find an egg and touching a snake instead. I'd worry more about being able to see in there instead of not wanting a hen to escape.

The roosts need to be noticeably higher than anything you don't want them to sleep on. In one of these teeny minimum space coops (probably elevated) with only a few hens 6" might be enough. In a bigger walk-in coop 12" might be better.

What chickens will you have? Some like Silkies or Frizzles can't fly so they may need ramps for everything. Chickens with their vision blocked like Polish may need help. Bantams can usually fly really well. My Sussex, Delaware, Orpington, Rocks, and such have no problems flying up to and down from my 5' high roosts or to my 4' high nests without ramps or ladders. My coop is big enough that they have room to spread their wings and fly. I don't have any ramps or ladders. I made steps at my pop door inside and outside so newly hatched chicks can get in and out easily. I made steps to my elevated grow out coop so a crippled turkey could get up there and left them. The 5 week old and older chicks don't need the steps but I didn't see any good reason to remove them.

Thanks Ridgerunner! Good point about racoons being able to climb. We'll work on a secure locking mechanism for sure. I've heard a lot about ones with caribeeners to befuddle racoons.

Thanks too for the pointer about being able to see into the nest box. I hadn't thought of that!

Roosts - so you have your nest boxes 4 feet off the inside floor of your coop? And your roosts at 5 feet? We're getting chicks in a few weeks as a mix of heritage varieties, so I'm checking with the person we're getting them from about which kinds they might be.

Thanks again!!!

 

[Raptor Chicken]

Honestly after building a coop I really don't get the whole "bump out" nesting box.

From your picture it looks like you're planning on a walk in coop, I'd just suggest making an area in the coop for them to nest/lay. Prior comments on roosting above that area are correct.

Here's a pic of our set up. In the second pic you can see the bench with dividers thats meant as a "nesting box", and they use it just fine. Everything's confined within the coop though. Also the roosting bars are above the nesting box.

 

[3KillerBs]

Honestly after building a coop I really don't get the whole "bump out" nesting box.

It saves space in a small coop.

Also, it makes it easier to gather eggs without having to change into coop boots/clothing.

 

[aart]

I'm attaching a little drawing to help make this more clear.

Nice sketch!
Have you done anything to keep rain water/snow melt from coming off the hill and soaking the coop?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Honestly after building a coop I really don't get the whole "bump out" nesting box.

I understand where you are coming from. My coop is an 8' x 12' walk-in. I like to go inside to collect eggs, that way I can see what is going in in there. I've found a dead chicken, a few snakes, an injured chicken, and even a possum that came in through the pop door near dusk that I'd have missed if I collected eggs from the outside. I change shoes whenever I step outside the house, one pair of shoes and clothing if I'm going to town or a different pair of shoes if I'm going to the garden or the chickens. I don't have to worry about collecting eggs in the rain, keeping rainwater out of the nests, or critters getting into the coop through those nests. Collecting eggs from inside the coop suits me.

If you have one of those tiny raised coops you don't have a choice but to us nests where you collect from the outside. If you have a small walk-in hanging a nest outside can give you more room to work in there. Some people have reasons to collect outside due to their lifestyle, maybe they are wearing nice clothing when they collect and don't want to mess them up. Maybe they don't want kids or others to interact with the flock, for instance if they have kids and a rooster. There can be lots of reasons people prefer this type of nest.

People reading this forum can get the idea that every square inch of space inside the coop is precious. In a tiny elevated coop I can see that. In a small walk-in you may need that space so you can move and work in there, probably more important for you than the chickens. My nests are raised a bit off of the floor where juveniles often hide to get away from the adults, so the nests improve the quality of what space I have. That makes my integration easier.

We are all different, different goals, lifestyles, flock make-up and so many other things that some things I consider totally unnecessary for me are pretty important to others.

 

[3KillerBs]

We are all different, different goals, lifestyles, flock make-up and so many other things that some things I consider totally unnecessary for me are pretty important to others.

Well said!