Humble Garden

ReSkilling for future food independence

Noodling over nest boxes

Posted by Nika On September - 30 - 2007

The chicklings have arrived and they are growing like crazy. We have them set up in a large enclosure in an upstairs bedroom (that is naturally hot these days) with a heat lamp. Things are getting interesting because they are NOT ready to go outside but the little guys are getting a bit feisty and are deciding to fly on occasion, not a good thing inside one’s house.

Garden Project: chicklings upstairs at home

The little chicks are growing proper feathers now.

Garden Project: older chicklings - feathers

Ed has done a whole lot on the chicken house and its time for me to put in the nest boxes.

Garden Project: chicken house with double walls

Garden Project: making the door

I am working on a set of 5 boxes to start, with room to make more, that will have roll out bottoms that feed to little ramps in the back that then feed to a hole that is accessible from the outside of the house. This way I do not have to open the house to get inside to get eggs and let out a ton of heat in the middle of winter (when its -20 F around here).

I think I am going to use some of the roofing plastic material for the egg ramps in the back. It wont come together for me until I am actually putting the thing together because I am not certain how much of an angle is best to get the eggs to roll but not too fast.

This is rather academic in some ways because the chickies are MONTHS from egg laying. I just want to get the boxes built before we put the little things in the house.

We still have to do the run in the back. Once that is done, they should be big enough to be put out with a heat lamp and perhaps some seedling mats to help them transition.

4 Responses to “Noodling over nest boxes”

  1. Erika says:

    How fun! To actually have the chicks in your possession- that’s very cool. I hope they turn into great egg-layers for you.

  2. Nika says:

    Erika: I hope so too! My oldest is already attached to them but understands that we cant keep all or even most of boys we may have. We wont be having eggs for some time tho :-) perhaps some time in April!

  3. nanette says:

    do you have plans for the nest boxes and flow of the eggs?
    Thanks,
    nanette

  4. […] Noodling over nest boxes | Humble GardenSep 30, 2007 … The chicklings have arrived and they are growing like crazy. We have them set up in a large enclosure in an upstairs bedroom (that is naturally … […]

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About Me

We are a family of 5, including Nika, Ed, Q (14), KD (7), and Baby Oh (4). We garden 1024 square feet of raised beds plus assorted permacultural plantings. We also have 13 LaMancha dairy goats, 40 chickens, and one guard llama.

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    FiveM_b2944_GTAProcess_UpU1AUDpLXUntitled Flickr photoUntitled Flickr photoMorning in Eagle River, Alaska