Hens are not picky about where they lay so I would say a container would be fine....Cover it with something to make it dark and they will like it even better...A pain to have to search for eggs around the barn to some but it was always fun for me when I was a kid...I like to know where they are laying though so I know the age of the egg...A hole about the size or even a little smaller of a dinner plate will be fine...they just need to get in and out with ease...

If it's a dark hidey-hole with some straw in it, your girls will love it. Hens love privacy, safety and nesting material that is of a sufficient depth. If they have those things, they're happy. :)

If you cut holes in the container, make sure that the edges aren't sharp at all, especially the bottom where their feet will rest. If they can hurt themselves on it, they'll find a way! *L* As for the size of the hole, make it big enough to accomodate the largest bird in your flock--including the roos, they LOVE to go into the nests and coo and coax the girls inside--some even have been known to sit on eggs or keep the girls company as they lay. Make sure no one has to *squeeze* to get in. :)

Velvet ~:>

They are so much fun to watch, really enjoy them. One is all chatter in the am. Had to chase the barn cat from her. Could not wait till she found a spot to be quite this am. So far the Roo behaves he does come to me for water. Never realized they like to sip all day. Have put out water places for them all over the place, yet they love when water buckets get dumped. Need to get this nesting box set up they are a bit unhappy about the last spot raided by a night egg thief.

Does any one know why they like sunflower seed hearts over cracked corn?

ML

We built a four hole rack about three feet from the floor. I put a plastic colander from Walmart in each hole. The coop is on the dark side and my chickens accepted them right away.. The plastic colanders are easy to dump and clean each day. I line them with hay sweepings from the barn. The colanders cost 99 cents each and are easy to sterilize when needed. The wooden nest boxes can get really foul, parden the pun.. As to sunflower seeds, my chickens love to steal them from the wild bird area. For a real hoot try giving them a cool watermelon ofn a hot day.. absolute bedlam!

ML, if you REALLY want to have fun, get some giant mealworms from the pet store. They are live food and most pet stores keep them behind the counter or in a fridge, so you'll have to ask for them.

Mealworms are like crack for chickens. Or candy. They LOVE them, especially the giants. Of course, chickens being omnivores and VERY food-oriented, they love anything to eat. *L* I think the sunflower seeds have a higher fat content and just plain taste better than corn, so the chickens prefer them. Heck, I'd pick the sunflower seeds over corn, too! :) Chickens also like raisins, diced grapes, raw corn on the cob and tomatoes (as anyone who has ever grown tomatos a little too close to the fence can tell you).

My chicks also prefer the water that's been dumped, I'm not sure if it's the movement that's attracting them...? During the summer we entertain our flock by tossing a handful of ice cubes on the patio, they love to peck at them and get some cool water that way.

Velvet ~:>

Chickmom: How big are the colanders? How big does a nest box have to be? We have between 30-40 "girls" that are now two weeks old. (How the heck do you count them? We ordered 25.) We need to start thinking about their pen. We also have 200 cornish X's and have their hoop houses, yards all set. For these hens, however, I don't even know how to start?

They are growing at such a slow pace compared to the meat birds and are absolutely adorable. In a few weeks though they will have to get out of the brooder.

Are 12" X 12" nest boxes big enough with a colander in each? How many will we need? How soon are they going to want roosts? Way too many questions for this thread but if you can help, thanks.

Roberta do you have pictures? You really have to share.

:)

ML

I have pictures of last year's group on my website and will take pictures of these guys as soon as we get them out of the brooder.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rock Creek Gardens