Looking for an inexpensive nesting box as part of your chicken coop plans? The average hen lays one egg each day. However, while raising chickens, you might often find your healthy chickens trying to provide their eggs with a safe and warm location for their eggs. In fact, you may have found your hen’s secret stash in the weirdest places and some of them end up being broken eggs.
However, like with a nice roosting area, it is crucial that you provide your brood with an egg laying area where they can safely lay their eggs. This makes it easier for you to collect the eggs as well without needing to hunt for them. You can always buy a nesting box for your brood or you can try building one yourself.
Most DIY plans for Chicken laying boxes involve the use of recycled or repurposed materials. Therefore, you can make one for your chickens at home using any kind of material. However, you need to make them comfortable, warm and inviting with a little bedding—and easy to clean so they can lay eggs in the perfect environment. You could also add a little diatomaceous earth to cut down on mites that may find their way into the nesting boxes. Otherwise, your brood may not pay much attention to it and you won’t maximize egg production.
To help you build the bestlaying boxes for chickens right in your backyard, here are 20 easy and cheap ideas to ensure you get fresh eggs:
1. Dishpan
If you’ve got Dishpans lying around, you can use them as nesting boxes. Simply cut the front out and you’re done! You can use this same method with a litter box. Place them inside your coop and watch your chickens lay eggs.
2. Milk Crate
Another great idea is to use a milk crate. Simply place it up against a wall in a way that the top side is at the front. This can serve as the entry and exit point for the chicken. Also, use a configuration of milk crates to help provide a nesting box for each chicken.
3. Book Shelf
If you have an old bookshelf lying around in the garage, you can turn it into a series of nesting boxes. However, for this plan, you will have to use tools and get extra lumber as well. If the bookshelf is not sectioned, place pieces of wood after every 3’ to provide a separate nesting box for each chicken.
4. Wood Barrel
You’re bound to love the vintage look that this DIY plan offers. Simply, take a wine barrel and place it horizontally across the floor. Wedge it into a side so it doesn’t roll over.
5. Dollar Spot
This is, perhaps, the cheapest option in this lineup. All you need to do is head over to the dollar store and buy large plastic bowls or containers. They may not be warm enough; however, you can warm them up by using hay and other plants.
6. HVAC
In case you run out of materials, you can use large HVAC pipes that you may find at your home or in a scrapyard. This tends to lend a futuristic view to your coop. However, don’t forget to fill in the HVAC pipe from the bottom, leaving only enough space at the top—or you may have to rescue your chicken.
7. Kitty Litter Pan
You can use your kitty litter pan as a nesting box as well. Since there is already a hole inside the box for the kitten to enter, you don’t need to worry about cutting an extra hole. All in all, it is a safe, easy and comfy option.
8. Furniture
You may have some unused or broken pieces of furniture lying around. You can upcycle them and use them as nesting boxes. Here is a great example of a cabinet being used as a nesting box.
9. Egg Roll
This is a practical DIY plan that prevents your eggs from rolling out of the nesting box. Simply build a regular nesting box. However, instead of keeping the floor straight, tilt it at an angle. This way the egg will roll forward. Construct a safety net in the front to catch these rolling eggs. This helps to protect your egg from breaking or being eaten by the chickens. Also, it keeps the eggs clean.
10. Buckets
Another useful hack is to utilize buckets. You can use whatever sized buckets you desire. Even if you don’t have some lying around, you can easily buy them at a local store.
11. Tractor Tire
Simply, cut out a tractor tire and place nesting on it. Some may not be willing to use it for raising animals, but for those who are willing, it can be quite cheap and effective.
12. Metal Wash Bin
You can use an old metal wash bin and fill it with hay to acquire a cheap nesting box.
13. Storage Tote
Watch the video below to find out how to convert a storage tote into a nesting box.
14. Plywood
This is purely for those who enjoy building their own nesting boxes. If you’re handy with a hammer and saw, check out the step-by-step tutorial below:
15. Dresser
You can use an old dresser lying around to create your very own nesting box. Simply remove a couple of drawers like in the picture.
16. Concrete Tubes
A strange yet simple idea is to use concrete tubes as nesting boxes.
17. Dining Chair
The idea is simple enough. Remove the top cushion from the dining chair and wrap a wire mesh around the frame as is shown below:
18. Toy Shelf
A toy shelf is the perfect way to go when you’re looking for an easy and hassle-free nesting box plan.
19. Wire Mesh
Another innovative hack is using a wire cage organizer rack as a nesting box. All you have to do is cut out a door and you’re done!
20. Traditional Nesting Box
Last but not least, you can build a traditional nesting box from scratch. There are various tutorials on the Internet for traditional nesting boxes.
Final Thoughts
Overall, you can build a nesting box with almost all kinds of materials. Mostly, these are cheap if you already have materials on hand. However, even if you buy lumber and create one from scratch, it will not cost you that much. So, are you ready to build one on your own?
