If you read Part I to this article, you know that we were able to build a chicken coop from a shed. We took an existing shed and split it in to two sections: one that would be used for feed and livestock supply storage and one that would become chicken coop.
In this post, I’m going to walk you through the next steps we took to add nesting boxes to our DIY chicken coop out of an existing shed.
Your chickens need to have a coop to stay safe from predators and the weather.
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Building a chicken coop from shed- continued
In the shed, we separated the two sections with a wall that we studded up, covered with plywood and installed a door in. We were left with a blank slate for the chicken coop.
This is the new wall that we installed inside the coop. This wall and the original wall on the right side of the picture are where the nesting boxes will go.
Adding nesting boxes to our chicken coop
We needed to give the hens somewhere to lay, so we needed nesting boxes. We wanted the nesting boxes to make an “L” shape in the shed.
When you walk through the door of the coop, there would be nesting boxes on the side of the wall next to the door (to the left of the door) and the wall connecting to it. The wall to the right of the door was left open, as that is where the window is situated.
We didn’t want our chickens nesting or roosting near the window, especially since we would be using it for ventilation occasionally. The wall opposite of the door would be where we would put roosting bars up for the chickens.
Nesting Boxes
The first thing we (well,Michael.. I pretty much watched and let him know how great it all looked! 🙂 ) did was build the nesting boxes. We assembled these outside of the shed in sections so that we could simply install sections into the shed.
The nesting boxes were made out of 1 x 4’s that we purchased from the local hardware and lumber store. We started by laying four of the boards side by side. We attached them together with another board underneath.
Here you can see how the boards are laid out side by side and we’ve started boxing it in to create nesting boxes.
Building nesting boxes
To create nesting boxes, we attached a 1 x 4′ to the front and back of the boards to create edges. Michael then measured and cut pieces out of 1 x 4’s to fit in between the front and back boards to create individual boxes. Our boxes are roughly 14″ inches square.
Two and a half nesting boxes! You can see how we laid the boards side by side and then boxed them in.
Here you can see where there is a board on the very bottom (centered under the nesting box on the left) that helps support the bottom boards of the nesting box.
You can see here how the two pieces fit together and form another nesting box in the corner. No wasted space!
To create the “L” shape, the boards at the corner needed to be cut at an angle. The corner was also boarded up and turned into a nesting box. We assembled the two pieces outside of the shed. Once the two pieces were ready to be hung in the shed, it was time for the next step.
Hanging the Nesting Boxes
Although the walls were studded up, there wasn’t a good way to hang the nesting boxes. We took 2 x 4’s and ran them horizontally around the inside of the shed. We hung them where we wanted to hang the nesting boxes. Make sure these boards are level so your eggs don’t roll around!
If you are getting egg laying chickens, check out Easter Egger chickens. They lay absolutely stunning eggs!
Make sure this board is level!
We also added a horizontal board on the freshly installed wall. You can see the original horizontal stud above the board where the nesting boxes will hang.
Once, the 2 x 4’s were hung, we had something to attach the nesting boxes to. These had to be attached in separate pieces. Then they were attached to one another for extra security.
Installing nesting boxes
We installed the nesting boxes that had a piece that would lay under the other nesting box for easier installation. Once that side was secured to the wall, we could install the other side to the wall and attach the two sides together.
Hey Michael! We screwed this set of boxes up first. It had the piece underneath that would allow us to attach the two sides, so this one was easier to install and then simply set the other on top.
We were then able to place the other set of nesting boxes on top, screw it in place and attach the two together.
Check out that awesome corner!
And there you have it! We have nesting boxes! We filled the boxes with shavings and the next day there were eggs in some of the boxes. 🙂
How did you make nesting boxes for your hens? I’d love to hear about it!
PLAN YOUR DREAM FARM AND GARDEN
Do you feel overwhelmed? Our Planning Your Farm: Gardens to Goats guide will show you how to plan your perfect farm. It's a game-changer- get it for free for a limited time!
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