Breeding chickens to get eggs at home is not a particularly difficult matter.
Moreover, there are many ways to make the process more productive and spend a minimum amount of time on it.
Creating a quality nest for a hen is one of the most important conditions for a comfortable bird life.
Why do we need nests with egg digger
Nests are an indispensable element of any chicken coop. This is especially important for farmers who breed chickens specifically for eggs. If the hens do not have a convenient place to lay their eggs, they will start searching for a secluded corner on their own. And this place can be any, the most remote part of the house. Equipping special places for socks, you do not have to look for eggs hidden around the room.
Did you know? A typical laying hen can produce no more than 250-300 eggs per year, since a bird needs a little more than a day to form one egg. The officially registered record was raised by the white leggorn chicken in 1978-79 - 371 eggs in 364 days.
Having a design with an egg digger, you will get a clean and whole product, the collection of which will take quite a bit of time. Such a useful, but very simple structure will be easy to do on your own. Especially if you have minimal skills in working with construction tools.
How to make a wooden nest with an egg box with your own hands
Wood is an affordable and environmentally friendly material that is very easy to work with. Therefore, there are many options namely wooden nests. All of them differ in type of construction and complexity of implementation. One of the most popular ways to equip a hen place is a double bottom jack.
For a comfortable maintenance of layers, you will need more drinkers, feeders, perches.
Necessary materials
The following materials are needed to manufacture the structure:
- thin plywood boards;
- material for upholstery pallet (felt, rubber, soft fabric, wrong side of linoleum);
- fasteners.
Tools for work
Required tools for work:
- sandpaper;
- hacksaw;
- screwdriver;
- hammer;
- knife;
- scissors.
Important! The wooden surface must be carefully ground. The presence of various irregularities can cause injury to the bird.
Step-by-step instruction
The technology of making a wooden nest with a double bottom:
- The construction is constructed on the principle of dogs booths. Make a small drawing for your own convenience. This will help you not to forget about the necessary parts, as well as correctly calculate their size.
- Cut and staple all sides of the house.
It is important that the screws or nails are not very long (they should not protrude from the inside of the structure).
- The bottom of the socket should be installed with a slight inclination to the rear wall (about 5 °).
On the slope of the egg will be able to easily roll into the storage container. - The pallet can be made separately.
It is necessary to beat the soft and non-slippery material.
It should protrude beyond the edge of the nest by 10 cm (this will allow you to conveniently collect eggs from outside).
It is also important to attach a plank to the edge of the pallet, otherwise the egg will roll down onto the floor.
- The pallet is attached to the main part of the structure at an inclination of 5 °.
It is important that the screws or nails are not very long (they should not protrude from the inside of the structure).
On the slope of the egg will be able to easily roll into the storage container.
It is necessary to beat the soft and non-slippery material.
It should protrude beyond the edge of the nest by 10 cm (this will allow you to conveniently collect eggs from outside).
It is also important to attach a plank to the edge of the pallet, otherwise the egg will roll down onto the floor.
Refining a hen house, pay attention to ventilation, lighting, heating, warming, a floor, walking.
How to make a metal nest with an egg box with your own hands
Metal construction is more reliable and durable. It is also easy to make it yourself without unnecessary material costs.
Necessary materials
To build a structure, you must have the following materials:
- metallic profile;
- metal and tin sheet;
- metal mesh with honeycombs (25x50 cm or 125x25 cm);
- nails;
- heck or hooks on the door.
Did you know? At the blunt end of the egg there is an air pocket in which various bacteria live. Therefore the product stored better and longer if it is at the same time to have a sharp end down.
Tools for work
Tools required for the job:
- pliers;
- hammer;
- hacksaw.
Step-by-step instruction
The sequence of creation of the structure:
- Make a metal frame (its size must meet the requirements of a particular breed of bird). For greater stability and reliability, additional metal stiffeners are attached to the bottom or walls.
- For arrangement of a floor it is necessary to use 2 shelves. The first one is placed horizontally (it is equipped with a pan, which collects droppings from the bird), and the second (lower) is at an angle of 10 ° (it helps the eggs to get into the egg box). The distance between the two shelves should be 11 cm. The bottom shelf should have a curved edge that forms the groove (its depth must be greater than the size of the egg). On it the eggs continue their movement into the storage container.
- Make the walls and ceiling, attach them to the frame. The front wall is made of mesh. This will provide the hen with access to the feeder and drinker (they can be attached to the door itself), and will also create the necessary ventilation.
- Last of all, a hinged door is made in the front wall, which should be closed on the latch or hook.
Video review of metal nests for layers
Where better to place the chicken nest
After the nest is made, it must be correctly placed. On how the roosts will be located, the desire of the layers to use them directly depends. Having nests, it is necessary to be guided by the following recommendations:
- height from floor to perch should be at least 30 cm;
- the place for laying eggs is located in dark and protected from drafts, noise and unnecessary movement parts of the chicken coop;
- take-off bar should be located at a distance of about 10 cm from the entrance to the nest, it should have a section of 5x2;
- hay or sawdust is best for flooring;
- it is desirable to make the bottom of the nest mesh or with vents - this will ensure proper air flow and prevent premature damage to the flooring;
- it is not recommended to fasten perches directly to the walls: this makes the structure less durable, and in winter it cools down quickly.
Important! High-quality and convenient perches are important not only for egg production of chickens. Their design should be convenient for the owner himself, because the quality and speed of cleaning the house depends on it.From simple and affordable materials, you can easily create comfortable nests for chickens, which will facilitate your process of collecting eggs and cleaning the room. The main thing is to adhere to the production technology and make all the necessary calculations, based on the size of your chicken coop and the number of birds living there.
Nest for laying hens with egg digger: video
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