# Planning new nest boxes......



## bjanzen (Sep 15, 2007)

Trying to simplify and streamline new nest boxes. I started last season with traditional front and hated them. My loft is only 4 feet wide and I kept hitting the perches that stuck out. The doors kept getting in the way when cleaning and I started removing them. 

Now I want to rebuild the whole lot and try the dowels on one half for the whole setup. See example below.










Questions is this......can a box that is 24" wide X 12" high X 12" deep be adequate? What advantage would 16" deep be to me? My previous set was but just seemed harder to reach the backs of the boxes. Narrower boxes would give more head room and make things nicer if they would work just as well......

Barry


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

bjanzen said:


> ...I kept hitting the perches that stuck out. The doors kept getting in the way when cleaning and I started removing them.
> .....can a box that is 24" wide X 12" high X 12" deep be adequate?
> Barry


Ouch! Love the streamlined look - don't know if the lack of landing perches will be an issue. My nestboxes are 24x12x12 - adequate, although the birds probably prefer the larger space of 16" deep.


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## bjanzen (Sep 15, 2007)

TerriB said:


> Ouch! Love the streamlined look - don't know if the lack of landing perches will be an issue. ......


Don't they just land on the open half of the box and walk in? Mine didn't seem to miss the perches at the doors when I took them off. They just fly up and grab the threshold and pop in. With a 12X12" opening, they should have no problem. Am I thinking correct here?


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

I have the identical nest fronts. I simply drilled holes one inch in and half way the front of the box. I then threaded dowels through the holes from top to bottom of the nest boxes. Easy to clean works great. I am soon to cut rectangular panels that slide between the first two dowels and run to the corner of the nest box. This way I can lock a hen in the box and the cock will have a perch. You can go to my webpage and see pics of my boxes under pics and foundation. I am going to build a block of 4x3 nest boxes and will do the same design. My boxes for the most part are 24 wide x 16 deep x 14 high. They work great. I would make them a bit wider if you are using larger nest bowls. Make sure that you can fit two bowls in the boxes. 

Randy


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