Do you want to make a nest for laying hens with an egg collector with your own hands? On our site you will find detailed step-by-step instructions, a list of tools and much more. Having spent a little time on the assembly of such a design, you will greatly simplify the collection of eggs and control their number. Now you do not have to constantly monitor the productivity of your layers.
Socket description
Nests for chickens must be in every household. Without them, the birds will begin to lay eggs where they feel comfortable. And this means that you have to look for them in the grass, the nooks of the chicken coop and many other inaccessible places. However, if there is a comfortable and soft nest, they will get used to lay eggs in one place. And you will not need to search for them all over the area accessible for walking each time.
But in some cases, the chicken nest does not solve all the problems. The fact is that sometimes they start to eat their eggs. Very often you can meet a situation where many birds are waiting for one laying hen to demolish. After that, they immediately eat all the eggs. Equipping a place for chickens with an egg collector, you can avoid such situations.
The design of such a useful device is an ordinary box, but with a special inclined bottom. After laying, the egg enters a special compartment where the hens do not have access.
Accommodation
The correct location is no less important than competent assembly. After all, if the box is in a place inconvenient for birds, they can completely ignore it and your efforts will be in vain. The box must be placed in a cozy and shaded place. The corner of the chicken coop is best for this, where hens will not be bothered by anything. If the house has a small area, you can place the boxes one above the other.
Do not forget about the soft litter, because it attracts laying hens when choosing a place. Dry grass, sawdust or other similar materials can be placed inside the structure. The litter needs to be changed periodically, because over time it dries and the layers can begin to search for a drier and more comfortable place.
Manufacturing instruction
You can design your own nests for laying hens without any problems. There is nothing complicated in assembling at home, so you do not need to have special skills and tools for making. With a little effort, you can always collect eggs in a place convenient for you.
Materials and Tools
You can create nests for chickens from improvised materials, as shown in the video below. To do this, you will need several sheets of chipboard or plywood. You can make a design from an already finished box, if it will have suitable sizes. In addition, you need to find a strip of rubber or linoleum, as well as a small container. It can be constructed independently from the same materials as the nest, or you can use a turnkey solution, for example, a box from the refrigerator.
As you can see, when assembling this design, no specialized equipment is required, which means that it can easily be done independently. To correctly make nests for chickens with a "trap" for an egg, you will also need such tools:
- hammer;
- grinder or jigsaw;
- nails or screws;
- screwdriver.
Step-by-step instruction
The sequence of steps in the manufacture of nests for chickens with an egg collector will be as follows:
- Make a box from plywood or chipboard without front and top (the size should allow the chicken to be inside freely);
- Attach an inclined plane to the bottom, which will lower to the back wall;
- Complete the assembly of the chicken nest, covering it from above and in front, while leaving the entrance for the bird;
- Make a cutout at the bottom of the back. Calculate the dimensions so that an egg freely rolls through it;
- Install a container with softening material in the back to prevent damage to the eggs;
- You can close the hole with rubber or linoleum for their softest fall;
- Do not forget about dry and soft litter.
Photo gallery
To better understand how to make nests for laying hens, check out the photos of the finished structures, as well as consider the drawing.
Video “An example of a finished nest with an egg collector”
In this video, you can look at the design of the finished chicken nest in order to properly build your own product.
Breeding chickens is usually not troublesome and does not cause any problems or inconveniences. But, spending very little time, it is possible to achieve not only providing the family with chicken meat, but also with a large number of eggs. But so that everything goes without any problems, it’s worthwhile to think in advance of the chicken nest - laying hens and properly equip it. This will protect the eggs from damage.
DIY nesting rules for laying hens
From the very beginning of their laying of eggs, laying hens must be accustomed to laying in the nest that you build for them in the chicken coop. But so that the bird gets used to it as quickly as possible, the following conditions must be observed:
Types of Bird Nests - Layers
The easiest way, of course, is to purchase already ready chicken house. You can use any boxes and baskets that are in any home to equip such a cozy nest. But more often than not, many laying hens decide to make it for their bird on their own.
To date, there are the following types of designs for laying hens:
- Nests in the form of boxes. It’s easy to make, and it’s even easier to teach a bird to it by simply closing it for a while in one of the cells.
- Nests with an egg collector. Such designs are easy to use and hens practically do not touch eggs.
DIY nest sizes for laying hens with an egg collector
The size of the laying nest depends on the size of the bird, and this is already determined by the breed of chickens. It is proved that if the chicken is uncomfortable in the house, then it will not rush in it, but will look for another place. For example, a meat-and-egg breed will require a house, the width of which will be 30 centimeters, and for a layer -25 centimeters. And also the height and depth of the chicken house varies.
There are standard nest sizes, regardless of breed and size. In order to start their independent production, these dimensions must be taken into account.
The depth of the house, as well as its height and width should be not less than 30 centimeters. You can do a little more, for example, 35 centimeters. All material, such as boards, must be well polished. And those parts that protrude are cut off by a grinder so that the laying hens do not damage their body.
Before entering the house, a shelf is required to help the bird fly. It is advisable that the nest in the chicken coop appears even before the bird is launched there. This will allow her to quickly get used to it and rush, sitting in a special design.
The nest for laying hens, first of all, needs to be done according to a pre-prepared drawing, then there will be no problems. Of course, it is impossible to make a bird house without using a tool. What will be needed for its manufacture? Still, you should take care of them in advance and cook.
To make a nest for hens, do-it-yourself hens will need the following material and tool:
- The material from which the nest will be made.
- Self-tapping screws or nails.
- Wood hacksaw.
- Sandpaper.
- Hammer.
- Screwdriver.
- A knife or scissors, and more often both of these tools.
- Soft fabric, foam can be.
- Other items that you will need when making your own chicken house.
Sometimes to make a nest with an egg collector use also rubber. But this material can be used individually, replacing it with something else.
The simplest nests for laying hens do-it-yourself
The simplest chicken house can be made using the following material:
- Boxes are plastic.
- Plywood for dimming.
This design has its drawbacks: the bird is not always comfortable in it, and even more often they are put on the floor, which leads to laying hens disease.
Still, a more convenient option is considered house made of boards. It is necessary to pre-select the material, process it, make several holes in such a box. It is best to first draw the drawing, and then to carry out the construction of the structure on it. If the design is multi-tiered, then, accordingly, several staircases need to be considered.
Making nests with an egg collector
Often, the owners of laying hens cannot spend days observing when their bird rushes to pick up eggs. Therefore, “cunning” nests were invented. Their manufacture is a little more complicated than those that were described earlier. But it will be with him easier to collect eggs.
There are several ways to make these "cunning" houses:
- Double bottom socket.
- House with a container for eggs.
To make a chicken house with a double bottom, you need plywood or you can use thin boards, sandpaper, fasteners, a hacksaw, a hammer and a screwdriver, upholstery material for the pallet, scissors and a knife.
The resulting structure in its appearance will strongly resemble a doghouse. It is carried out according to the drawing, but it is worth remembering that you cannot use too long nails or self-tapping screws, which then will be able to injure a bird. Particular attention is required to the bottom of the structure, which must be performed with a slight slope, approximately five degrees slope. It is worth remembering when building a house for a layer that there should be a hole between the wall and the bottom, where the eggs should roll out so that the bird could not peck them.
The saucer is covered with a soft cloth, because it will be 10 centimeters longer than the nest itself. This is done in order to be able to freely pick up eggs at any convenient time. It is also necessary to fix the bar, which will not allow the egg to fall to the ground, because it will just break.
The second version of the house with an egg collector is its own structure, which can be thought up easily. So, we take the following material for its manufacture: plywood and egg containers, a hammer and a hacksaw, soft material and nails.
Work is under construction according to a certain plan. First of all, it is necessary to draw up a drawing that will help not to stray from the right path during its manufacture. First, a box is made in which the side walls will be sloped.
The front part should also be closed, leaving only holes for layers. And in the back wall you should make a small hole so that an egg can roll out through it. We attach the container in which the eggs will be collected. Since such a container will be with a soft cloth, then, accordingly, damage to the eggs will not occur.
We fix the nests in the chicken coop
To install a chicken house - laying hens in a chicken coop there are two options:
- On pre-made coasters.
- On the walls, but without contact of the nest itself with the wall of the chicken coop.
In the first case, the board is necessary in order to place all the nests on it. Then we install the same board and another one to install the nests for layers on them.
But more accessible for humans are “mounted” nests. The owner of such a convenient chicken coop will not even have to go into the room, but simply open the back door, which is adjacent to the nest and take eggs from there. But such a design is beautiful suitable for wooden sheds, and it is necessary to insulate it.
If the nest is properly arranged, then the person will only have to make sure that the bird is warm and damp, and even properly fed. And then laying hens will thank their master.
How to train birds in a new nest
There are several rules that allow you to quickly and comfortably accustom laying hens to a new house, but it is sometimes difficult to do. Sometimes you have to close the bird and keep it in such nests for several days so that it gets used to it. But knowledge of the rules will now help to take the path of a milder regime to the bird and more successful achievement of the result.
If your chickens can not get anything to lay eggs in the design that you made yourself, then this means that you missed something and you need to examine everything in detail again and, accordingly, fix everything, and maybe even make a new bird nest.
Making nests for laying hens
When equipping a poultry house in their yard, each zealous owner of a personal subsidiary farm tries to come up with something of his own, to improve other people's ideas and developments. A nest for chickens with a built-in egg collector is one such “improvement”, the idea was taken from the design of cages for keeping hens.
Most of the birds during egg laying try to find a secluded corner, to prepare a comfortable soft place for eggs, because in the future the future offspring will hatch from them. Hens in this regard are no exception, nothing bird is alien to them (with the exception of flight), so they also love to rush in secluded cozy corners, away from yard noise and other poultry. Having made special nests and installed them in the “right” place, the poultry breeder will surely save himself from many troubles associated with the loss of eggs from hatching and their inadequate qualities.
Drawing a simple nest of planks and plywood
A nest with a built-in egg collector is made of dry pine strips with a cross section of 30x50 mm and plywood, it will also require screws and a piece of soft fleecy material, for example, a piece of linoleum with a felt base. The main difference between such a device and similar devices without egg collection devices is its inclined bottom, at an angle of about 10 degrees.
From the strips (according to the drawing), we twist the frame of the structure, the number of cells in the battery can be arbitrary, depending on the number of layers in the herd. We cover the frame with plywood, lay the linoleum on the bottom with the back side. A soft lining is necessary for comfortable placement of the layer. Nests with a hard wooden or mesh base can be boycotted by chickens.
Inclined Tray Option
An interesting solution with removable metal trays glued inside with soft fleecy fabric. The main advantage of this design is the convenience of servicing the nests and the ease of cleaning from pollution with litter and garbage.
Designs with fleecy rugs
An interesting solution using special plastic mats with a large pile. Rugs to some extent replace chickens with litter; they are more willing to use such nests.
In one of the English-language forums, the author of the topic spoke about the successful experience of using artificial turf as rugs for nest boxes. A great advantage of such bases is the uniformity of the coating, which does not prevent the eggs from rolling into the receiving tray of the egg collector and rolling the eggs into the receiving tray of the egg collector.
Layer Lock Slot
This type of nest is recommended for use by poultry farmers engaged in breeding work in their subsidiary plots. Thanks to interesting design features, a chicken that has entered such a nest will not be able to leave it on its own. The poultry breeder will know exactly which layer - which egg.
Regardless of the design features of the sockets, all of these devices are extremely simple to manufacture and can be assembled at home. For their construction does not require the availability of specialized tools and special devices, just a hacksaw, a hammer and a screwdriver.
Good convenient nest boxes are a joy for laying hens, which means benefits for their owners.
The arrangement of any chicken coop requires the presence of nests for chickens in it. Both the quality and the number of whole eggs that are laid by hens depends on the quality of such nests. To ensure the most comfortable conditions, you can do the design of the nests with your own hands and figure out how to make the nest correctly, having thought through every detail.
It is worthwhile to familiarize yourself with some rules that will help in the further process of arrangement:
In the place where the eggs are laid, it should be dry and warm.
- It is recommended to place the nests in a place with a predominance of shade, where the sun's rays do not reach.
- In the place where the eggs are laid, it should be dry and warm, which can be achieved by laying straw or sawdust. Based on the practical experience of farmers, it is better to use sawdust, because this kind of litter is not thrown out of the nest by birds.
- The level of sawdust or straw should not exceed the edges of the sides so that the eggs do not roll out and fall.
- It is recommended that when designing sockets, make the bottom of the grid. This will ensure that the litter is ventilated for a long time.
- The installation site should be chosen, starting from the opposite: places in which humidity prevails and cold air passes, will not work.
- Attaching nests is not recommended on the walls, as there is a risk for the birds to catch a cold, and the nests will have to be changed or reconstructed more often.
- The completed construction of the nest should not have any rough surfaces, protruding nails or other sharp elements, because the bird can get hurt.
- The calculation of the number of nests is carried out based on a proportion of 5: 1, i.e. 5 chickens per 1 nest.
In addition to the rules, it is worth understanding which nests are best made.
There are three different designs for chicken nests. The characteristics of the three possible types of nests are as follows:
| Type of socket | Characteristic |
| Drawer sockets | The design of this kind of nest is very simple - it is an ordinary box in which a hole is made for free passage of the bird inside. The number of cells in this setting may vary. A good advantage of nest boxes is the easy learning of the hens to rush in the nest, you just have to close the bird in such a nest for a short period of time, and there will be no problems in the future. |
| From improvised materials | This variety is mainly used by novice poultry farmers who have not yet fully equipped the chicken coop. It is also a good option for those who keep a small number of birds, because the nests come out short-lived. But in some cases there is nothing left but to make a nest for laying hens from ordinary boxes or baskets. The main condition for this is to choose elements without defects, having previously cleaned them from debris and dust. It is also worth remembering that space with this type of nests cannot be used rationally. |
| Egg collector nests | The most optimal variety of nests, although time-consuming. In this case, you will need to carefully familiarize yourself with the process and understand how to make the nests yourself, because the design involves spontaneous rolling out of the eggs so that the birds do not bite them. For the construction, special pallets are needed in which the eggs will roll. In addition, you can make a nest with a funnel-shaped hole in the center, or with an inclined floor surface. |
Based on the size of the chickens, nest parameters are selected. The main task in this case is to provide birds with free entry into the nest and placement inside it. The size for laying hens is 25x35x35 cm.
The size of one nest for laying hens is 25x35x35 cm. It is best to pre-make drawings, which mark all the necessary parameters of the structure. In addition to the above, it is worth considering the height of the nut, which should be at least 5 cm, and the take-off shelf with an optimal section of 5x2 cm, it is located at a distance of 10 cm from the entrance.
Important. The nest cover is mounted at an angle of 45 degrees to exclude the possibility of birds sitting on the nest.
For the simplest nest, any box, for example, a vegetable made of plastic and a sheet of plywood, is suitable. The latter can be replaced with other material that is necessary for the construction of the curtain. Having laid a little flooring and provided blackout, you can get a simple design of the socket.
The easiest version of the nest for laying hens is wooden or plastic crates. It should be understood that the quality of such nests is not too good. In addition, they will have to be placed on the ground, which will negatively affect the health of birds and reduce their productivity.
Important. In an uncomfortable nest, the bird will not lay eggs. This is worth remembering when deciding on the type of design.
To build such nests, you need to use:
- plywood or board;
- timber;
- fasteners;
- sandpaper;
- jigsaw;
- a screwdriver;
- with a hammer.
The photo shows a drawing of bunk nests for laying hens. A step-by-step instruction for constructing is as follows:
- Initially, wooden material must be sanded.
- Next, they cut all the blanks, starting from the required sizes. To calculate the required number of cells, it is necessary to divide the length of the entire structure by the width of one of the cells. The height (tier) is determined similarly.
- The next step is to join all the workpieces with nails.
- The inner side of the boxes must be strengthened with a beam. Mounting is carried out at the corners.
- After that, an inlet is constructed that can be cut.
- Then make a nut, the width of which should not be less than 10 cm. The connection of this element is carried out with the bottom of the boxes along the entire length.
- The take-off platform is fixed at a distance of 10 cm from the inlet.
- If the nests are built in several tiers, then it is worth taking care of the construction of the stairs to each of them.
The inner walls of the nests are strengthened with the help of bars.
If you want to build such a variety of nests, it is worth deciding on a variant of such a design. Making this kind of nest will be a little more difficult, but it will provide more free time for the farmer and preserve the integrity of the eggs.
Double bottom
The materials indicated in the previous version should be added for the construction process:
- upholstery on a pallet;
- scissors.
The process of mounting the sockets is as follows:
The depth of the pallet is 10 cm greater than the depth of the nests. - The first step is to build an ordinary nest, as in the previous case, taking into account all the nuances of such a process.
- A feature of this design is the bottom, which should be attached taking into account the angle of inclination relative to the rear wall of 5 degrees. At the same time, the distance from the wall to the bottom is left so that the eggs slide freely, passing through it.
- Next, a pallet is built, which is immediately chipped with upholstery material. To do this, you can use felt, rubber or linoleum, turned inside out.
- The depth of the pan is 10 cm more than the depth of the nests, this will allow you to collect eggs from the outside.
- The pallet is also fastened at a slope of 5 degrees.
Egg container
Using the diagram below, you can build your own structure.
The material for manufacturing is similar, and the installation process is as follows:
- Initially, a box is assembled, in which they have a bottom with a slope of 10 degrees.
- The front part of the structure is closed, the inlet is previously cut out in it.
- A hole is cut out on the bottom of the back wall, the size of which slightly exceeds the egg.
- Next, an egg container is installed, which is covered with soft material on the inside to ensure the integrity of the eggs during rolling.
In the photo there is a chicken nest with an egg collector in the form of a container. Important. There should not be a lot of upholstery material; it can become an obstacle for the eggs to roll into a tray.
Attaching nests can be done in two ways:
- on special supports that are made in advance;
- to the walls, excluding their contact with the nests.
If there are no questions with mounting on special supports, then how to attach the socket to the wall should be addressed in more detail:
Nests are mounted to a wall or to special supports. - A board with parameters of 30x4x4 cm is attached to the wall. It will serve as the basis and support for further fixing the structure.
- A second board with similar dimensions is fixed, observing an angle of 45 degrees. At the same time, the distance from one board to another should be at least 40 cm. Boards diverge downward.
- Then, with an indent of 45 cm, a similar design is attached, only the convergence of the boards will be on top.
- The resulting bases, in which there are compartments, attach nests. They need to be fixed with screws to a bar located at an angle.
As an option for arranging the chicken coop, you can choose the construction of hinged type nests. The advantage of such a structure is its accessibility for the farmer, because the need to walk for eggs disappears. The only caveat is the need for insulation.
Important. To make this kind of nests is possible only in the case of a wooden chicken coop.
You can build a hinged nest in the following way:
Such a process may seem complicated at first glance, but in fact no special efforts are needed to do this. One has only to provide the necessary conditions for the chicken, and she herself will be placed in the nest.
If all conditions are created for the chicken, she herself will go to the nest for oviposition. When designing the nests, it is worthwhile to carefully monitor both the size of the holes for entering the nest and the parameters of the nest itself, namely, to ensure free access and placement of the bird in it. In addition, it is worth maintaining the temperature at 10-12 degrees and ensuring the purity of the nest.
It is also worth nesting even before placing the hens in the house. It is very important to provide the nests with dry bedding and place them in a comfortable place. It is best to place the nests along the side wall, the short one is located on the side of the hinges of the doorway. This will avoid drafts and maintain an optimal temperature, and, accordingly, the state of health of birds.
We offer to watch the video tutorial on assembling nests for laying hens. Enjoy your viewing!
Experienced poultry houses have long decided for themselves that standard methods of breeding chickens do not always bring excellent results, so you should look for original solutions. The equipment of a nest with an egg collector for laying hens is an important component of proper breeding. In our article, the main types of such structures are given, and there is also a detailed instruction on the independent construction of such devices.
Why is it necessary to equip a nest for laying hens with an egg collector
Most of the houses sooner or later face the problem that they have to look for eggs in the most unexpected places. This is especially true in the summer, when birds lay eggs in any suitable secluded places.
To avoid such a problem and always accurately collect the "crop", it is recommended to arrange separate places for such purposes. This can be avoided during the construction of a special egg collector, in which the egg is then located.
Photos of salmon Zagorsk breed will find.
Key Features of the Chicken Nest
In principle, any suitable containers are suitable for a chicken nest: cardboard boxes, large plastic jars and even old furniture boxes. In such constructions, it will be convenient to carry the chicken, and the owner will be spared the dubious pleasure of looking for a “treasure” every day throughout the chicken coop and aviary.
Such models can often be found on sale, the range of relevant stores offers a wide selection of all kinds of models from a wide variety of materials. It is optimal to purchase standard plywood cages, but in principle, any materials will do.
A more detailed schematic structure of such devices can be seen in the photo.
The use of such sockets has several advantages:
- Provides comfortable conditions for laying hens.
- The eggs will be intact and protected from the other inhabitants of the chicken coop.
- The collection and search for eggs will be greatly simplified.
- Extension of the useful area of \u200b\u200bthe chicken coop.
Why chickens peck each other before blood is described.
It is not difficult to purchase such devices; most of the special sites and stores of the corresponding subject offer a wide selection of ready-made nests. These are mainly products of domestic manufacturers of local scale. Many craftsmen make similar designs on their own. The cost of ready-made nests varies from $ 2 for a "single" room.
It’s easy to make them with your own hands, especially if you use the instructions below.
How to equip it with your own hands - drawing
It is optimal to install such devices in a quiet, darkened corner of the chicken coop or at some elevation, away from the main routes. Comfortable should take into account the main dimensions of the birds, for convenience they make a nest without front and top. In order to equip the nest with an egg collector, it is enough to make a slightly inclined floor level so that the laid egg rolls in the back wall . There you need to equip a special compartment for storing eggs. It should be lined with soft material, playing the role of a shock absorber. In order for the curia to not have access to the egg collector, it is better to close its entrance with a sheet of felt or linoleum, which will automatically open under the weight of the egg.
Soft litter is the main trick of such a device, so its equipment occupies an important place in the design. It is advisable to use soft and natural materials. To lure a chicken into a nest, you can lay straws, which will play the role of a natural nesting bird.
Instructions for the construction of a chicken nest:
- Prepare the necessary material: plywood, chipboard or thick plastic are ideal.
- Perform a schematic drawing, taking into account the free area of \u200b\u200bthe chicken coop and the average dimensions of the birds.
- Run cutting materials.
- Connect all parts together using suitable hardware or adhesive.
- The floor in the structure must be made inclined enough so that the egg rolls freely. At the same time, the floor should not create discomfort for the bird to be there.
- Depending on the idea, the collection can be on the back wall, side or front. The egg storage hole should be covered with a thick sheet. A piece of linoleum, felt and just opaque cellophane are perfect.
- Cover the bottom of the structure with soft bedding. Straw, sawdust and just a piece of the old floor path are perfect.
A modern range of farm products offers a huge selection of all kinds of facilities. At the same time, it is not necessary to spend large amounts at all, many structures are quite capable of self-assembly.
The characteristic of the Kuchin jubilee breed is presented.
Feedback
Lyudmila: “We keep chickens in the country, in the winter we visit there about once every three days, so modern automatic feeders and drinking bowls came in handy. Last year I found on the Internet a description of such nests, caught fire and my husband made a similar design on his own. The result is excellent, all eggs are whole and clean, very convenient to collect. After several months of use, we slightly modernized the design, now there is a special strip of thick rubber that extends on one side, which allows you to collect all the eggs at once. “So that they do not damage each other, every 15 centimeters there is a partition made of felt.”
What the Pushkin breed looks like will help to understand.
Video
This video will tell you how to make a nest with an egg collector yourself.
Having completed such a nest with an egg collector, you will forever get rid of the problem of finding and preserving eggs, as well as significantly upgrading the chicken coop area. Such nests can also be used for the cellular content of laying hens, as well as for controlling the egg production of a single bird. The attached diagrams and photographs will help to better understand the design of the device, and a brief instruction is suitable for self-assembly. You will find a photo of the dominant breed.
