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The Original All Roller Talk Discussion Board Archive >
Nest box size
Nest box size
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rotti
34 posts
Feb 11, 2005
4:30 AM
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Hey all. I am getting ready to build new nest boxes for my loft. I want some I can lock birds in to pair them up. I also want to save as much space as possible. What is the best size box to use? The loft is fair sized with a large flight pen. So once the birds have paired up and laid they will have plenty of space. I need to get this project going so any advice will help. Is it better to put bowls on oppisite sides of the box or use a shelf? What about door size? Do they need a landing board? Or will they just fly into the box? So many questions so little time. Sorry. Don
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rollerpigeon
Site Moderator
217 posts
Feb 11, 2005
6:19 AM
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Hey Don, I use individual breeding compartments. They are wire pens measuring 22"x24"x14". This size allows them to flap thier wings for excercise and has room for a second nestbowl when needed. FLY ON! Tony Chavarria
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Coach P
17 posts
Feb 11, 2005
6:49 AM
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here is my thoughts on this if you build a nest box inside your loft that is big enough for the birds to mate/breed in then you may as well just build individual breeding pens…my nest boxes are 12” by 24” 12” deep, I lock the birds in them only to pair them up…at the start of breeding season, the first thing I do is place my nest boxes up in the loft and only have cocks in the loft for about one week this gives the cocks time to establish there nest box because there is only one nest box per bird no other perches in there so each cock has to establish a nest box for a perch, the hens are out of site….after a week I place a hen in each cock’s nest box and lock them up, I did this two weeks ago with 7 pair, they paired up almost immediately, then I would only let out one pair at a time to feed and drink say about 30-45 minutes this also gives them time to mate without interference from the others of course you need to do this on a weekend when you have the time, the first night they stay locked up, the next day I start letting two pair out at a time, rotating this and then rotating different pairs out at the same time so they can get used to each other and are locked up together the second night, then by Monday morning letting them all out together I find when I let them all out together put a bath pan to bath this seems to help them bond and calm them down and helps them get used to each other...now in the nest box I have one wooden nest box with one paper nest bowl in it….when the young are 10 -12 days old I lift the paper nest bowl out and place it on the other side of nest box and refresh the nest box for the next round of eggs when I wean the birds I take out the old paper nest bowl, this keeps me from having to build large nest boxes and gives me more space in the loft, I keep 4 pair in a 4x4 ft, 6 foot high section, I started my breeding season two weeks ago with 7 pair on the 11th day each pair had laid both eggs…works for me but my operation is small…if you get it too large then it becomes work…. I hate to have to break ice for 8 seperate pens at 6am on a week day morning
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rotti
35 posts
Feb 12, 2005
3:50 AM
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Thanks Tony,and Coach P. I'm guessing these dimensions are heigth,width,depth? The smaller size sounds pretty good. I've seen the commercial boxes for sale but they are out of my price range. Are your boxes all wire Tony? So the squeakers stay in a nest bowl or learn to walk on the wire?I like the ease of keeping itt clean. What size wire do you use? I have 1"x2" on the floor of my kit box. Would that be to large for a nest box? My current nesting situation is terrible. I have six seperate "nests" which are small boxes only big enough for one nest and a row of eight nests that are open and contribute to fighting among the cocks. Basically it's a shelf with 8" sides and dividers. I got a few raised in it last year but lost many eggs and even a few young to fighting. I have to remedy it this year. And quick. It's snowing again and the birds think it's spring. Tossed about ten eggs already. No I don't have the space to seperate the hens and cocks for the winter. Yet. Going to fix that this summer. Thanks for the information and any more will be greatly apreciated. Don
Last Edited by rotti on Feb 12, 2005 3:54 AM
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rollerpigeon
Site Moderator
219 posts
Feb 12, 2005
7:15 AM
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Don, yes, these are HWD. The floor is wire, the squeakers do learn sure footing on the wire, but they generally stay in the nest bowl until they are ready to be weaned and thats when I remove them. I generally pull them out of the nest box at about 3 weeks of age.
I have not seen any issues due to the wire floor from the parents or youngsters. If anything, they spend more time in the bowls and get out to feed and breed. The sides of the nestbowls offer a great place to perch as the top rim is rather thick.
These wire pens are easy to clean and I like that they are not walking on thier droppings like in shelf type nest boxes. Once week the dropping trays are removed for cleaning. It's really much easier for me than the wooden styles.
Here is the link on this site to info on the style I use, copy and paste into your URL (Ctrl C and then Ctrl V):
http://www.roller-pigeon.com/page/page/1733226.htm
FLY ON! Tony Chavaria
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Mother lode lofts
494 posts
Feb 12, 2005
2:50 PM
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The bigger the better, but of coarse available room has to be considered, but don't under cut them due to it. Mine are 32 in length, 22 deep and 18 in high, in both back corners I have a triangle shelf cut in where the nest bowls go, and then food and water go under each nest bowl.
I have 9 of these stack in threes at the back of the lofts with a 4 ft deep x 8 ft long fly in front of them plus a window on the side of the loft with a small sun area outside of it where they can also bathe, generally I lock up to lay and open up once the round is laid, I can also rotate which ones that I want to let out for exercise. I'm not real big on allways keeping them locked up in such boxes without getting exercise, plus they want to hold thier droppings. But I do have some larger outside Ind. that are like 36x24 by 20 high which I feel a little better about as far as constant lockdown. Inside the loft on the right side of my Ind. I also have a 4x6 open loft area with another window and sun area, I use this for bout 5-6 pairs of fosters. This is what works for me.
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