My solution to chickens sleeping in nesting boxes

[HenHangout]

I have to get up and away early most mornings so I go out to break the ice on the water and bring food scraps.

I did that my first winter with chickens (2022) but since then I run a 75ft power cord to the coop to power a coop panel heater I found at goodwill for $5 and a bird bath heater to keep their water from freezing. This past fall I installed gutters that drain rainwater into a tub I installed water nipples on.

My deterrent is a sheet of cardboard stored behind the nests, and a couple bricks. I haven't needed it in years, but I see no reason to remove it either.

I did something similar, a couple bricks and a very thin sheet of wood that covered the nestbox. I'd only have to put it in place, not remove it since when the chickens woke up and wanted to lay eggs they'd keep smacking it until it fell.

 

[heritagebirds]

Raspberry Pi Pico W running MicroPython. Each nesting box is controlled by a separate servo so I can disable one (remotely) if a hen is brooding. They are set to open 4 hours before sunrise and close 2 hours before sunset. Sunrise/sunset calculated daily based off of time and math using latitude and longitude.

Cost: less than the effort it takes to walk outside every night and dealing with poop

Oomg, brilliant. I have a Raspberry Pi that sits in a box. LOL

 

[HenHangout]

Oomg, brilliant. I have a Raspberry Pi that sits in a box. LOL

I have a Raspberry Pi that I haven't touched in about a decade. The Raspberry Pi Pico W is a microcontroller (like Arduino) so it doesn't even have an operating system like a typical Raspberry Pi. Although you cannot ssh into it and run commands like a Raspberry Pi, with the right code you can still send it commands remotely.

 

[heritagebirds]

I have a Raspberry Pi that I haven't touched in about a decade. The Raspberry Pi Pico W is a microcontroller (like Arduino) so it doesn't even have an operating system like a typical Raspberry Pi. Although you cannot ssh into it and run commands like a Raspberry Pi, with the right code you can still send it commands remotely.

Thank you for reminding me. I'd love to do a project like this. Very cool!

 

[mopalia]

Love it. My chicks have an automatic pop door, video surveillance in the coop and a remote controlled ceiling fan for summer. I have some new chicks, and if broodiness becomes an issue, I might take a page from your book.