Well, it’s spring and we’ve got 120 chickens laying eggs like it’s going out of style.

The little 8-hole nest box we built almost two years ago was in dire need of replacement. The chickens were not kind to it’s finicky rollout mechanism, and it quickly became a dirty mess.

I tried to go back and find the plans I scrached out last year for our 16-hole nest box, but it appears that I’ve long since lost them.

This time I just went ahead and made the plans digital. Now they can live on the internet where it’ll be easier for me to find them next time.

16-Hole Rollout Nest Box Plans



I use 1/2″ OSB for the nest boxes, 2 sheets ought to get pretty close. After measuring and cutting all the 1/2″ notches, most of the parts just slide right together.



Of course the remaining parts, such as these end panels are what add all the rigidity. Use plenty of staples.



I didn’t include measurements for all the little strips of OSB (or 2/4″ boards) that you’ll need to finish out the nest boxes, they’re pretty self-explanatory.



Just make sure it looks something like this when you’re all done.



We have found that the best mats for use in the nest boxes are these cut-up doormats from Ikea.

Small dirt particles fall through, and you can pressure wash them if they get any other gunk (like broken egg) built up on them.



Speaking of broken eggs, I have found that without some way of obfuscating the eggs, chickens will start eating eggs. I staple up a strip of poly feedsack along the egg-door.



This is the chicken-eye view from inside the nest. That feed sack is enough to keep them from paying much attention to the eggs that collect in the bottom of the nest.