# started my nest boxes



## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

well i was able to get some supplies today and start my nest boxes...because it gets hot here this is how i made them. they are 24"LX12"DX12"H two hole for the pair to have. the sides & back are 1/4" plastic mesh , i wanted them to have air, as i know can get hot in side the shed, i also installed a small fan above door to help circulate the stale air. I also bought a bunch of fake wooden eggs...i am not ready for babies to hot...well i know some one is going to pick at me for some reason on these so i am ready for all comments..


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## swagg (Feb 13, 2011)

Hopefully they work out nicely for you. I would make sure to not have a perch next to the nest, so the pair does have some privacy. They tend to guard the nest, and being able to see someone perched next to the nest will drive em nuts. Also add a lip to the front edge to keep the eggs and babies in the box


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## lmorales4 (Jul 8, 2010)

great job....only thing i would add is the lip on the front to prevent accidental egg breakage


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## Thunderbird Racing (Jul 24, 2010)

If I were to add a lip to the front, either make it removable via hinge or hold it up a 1/2" or so to make it easier to scrape.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, definitely put a 2 inch high board running across the front. Also, you will need to paint the floor of the boxes, as that wood is hard to scrape and clean. If it gets wet, it swells up and is harder to clean. I used that for my nest boxes, but I painted them, and it works out fine. Otherwise, kinda cute.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

My boards do lift off, but I don't usually remove them, and I don't find it hard to scrape really. Nice to have the option, but not really necessary.


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## PigeonVilla (Dec 8, 2010)

horseart4u said:


> well i was able to get some supplies today and start my nest boxes...because it gets hot here this is how i made them. they are 24"LX12"DX12"H two hole for the pair to have. the sides & back are 1/4" plastic mesh , i wanted them to have air, as i know can get hot in side the shed, i also installed a small fan above door to help circulate the stale air. I also bought a bunch of fake wooden eggs...i am not ready for babies to hot...well i know some one is going to pick at me for some reason on these so i am ready for all comments..


those dividers are pretty ugly, since they are only made of card board I would replace them and with the next ones just cut out a 6x6 inch hole for them to go between sides and a lip wouldnt hurt but mine dont have lips I just enclose the side with the nest bowl .


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

horseart4u said:


> well i was able to get some supplies today and start my nest boxes...because it gets hot here this is how i made them. they are 24"LX12"DX12"H two hole for the pair to have. the sides & back are 1/4" plastic mesh , i wanted them to have air, as i know can get hot in side the shed, i also installed a small fan above door to help circulate the stale air. I also bought a bunch of fake wooden eggs...i am not ready for babies to hot...well i know some one is going to pick at me for some reason on these so i am ready for all comments.


Only advice I would give is to put something sturdier but removable as a divider, and put nest-fronts on. You can buy plastic nest-fronts cheaply for around $6.00 each that will fit the size you made perfectly. I added nest-fronts to all my nesting box after a twenty day old baby fell out of the box, and got scalped on the floor of the loft before I found it. A piece of plywood cut to the same size as your cardboard can be slid into the box between two guides you glue in place. You can use scrap 1"x2" lath as the guides.

Good idea using the mesh. I was going to build a nestbox using Plexiglas for the back so it would let light in, but now I think I'm going to use hardware cloth. This nestbox will be on the shelf of a 30" wide greenhouse window on the back of my loft.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Oh, that's right...................the nest fronts. ptras is right. There will be times when you will want to be able to keep them in their box. You need to have a way of doing that, and yes, they do sell them 24 inches long. How many are you going to make?


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

Jay3 said:


> Oh, that's right...................the nest fronts. ptras is right. There will be times when you will want to be able to keep them in their box. You need to have a way of doing that, and yes, they do sell them 24 inches long. How many are you going to make?


Will the nestbox being so bright keep the birds from wanting to nest in it? All of the nestboxes I have seen so far have solid walls and back, making them darker than the surrounding loft.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

ptras said:


> Will the nestbox being so bright keep the birds from wanting to nest in it? All of the nestboxes I have seen so far have solid walls and back, making them darker than the surrounding loft.



Actually, they usually prefer a darker place to nest, but they are using a metal shed, so figured this would give them more air to stay cooler. Probably a good idea. I think if that's what they have, they'll use them.


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

Jay3 said:


> Oh, that's right...................the nest fronts. ptras is right. There will be times when you will want to be able to keep them in their box. You need to have a way of doing that, and yes, they do sell them 24 inches long. How many are you going to make?


i am making 16 of these for now


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

there will be no perches next to the boxes, i am going to add a lip to the front. i will see about the changing the center piece, and see about getting the plastic fronts, like the wire ones, i want to be able to get in to it fast if i can..hey these are my first build on my own


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

horseart4u said:


> there will be no perches next to the boxes, i am going to add a lip to the front. i will see about the changing the center piece, and see about getting the plastic fronts, like the wire ones, i want to be able to get in to it fast if i can..hey these are my first build on my own


I build my own nest fronts from wood, but you can get plastic ones in your choice of color for $5.95 each at Siegels.


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

well went to lowes and got some more material for the boxes, got ply for the center pieces cut at 12"x6" and got 24"x2"x1/4" pieces for lips which i am putting a gap on bottom for easy cleaning. i can add a small perch to the front on the boxes on one side for them to sit on right. i will have more pic's soon.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

horseart4u said:


> well went to lowes and got some more material for the boxes, got ply for the center pieces cut at 12"x6" and got 24"x2"x1/4" pieces for lips which i am putting a gap on bottom for easy cleaning. i can add a small perch to the front on the boxes on one side for them to sit on right. i will have more pic's soon.



Yes, you can put a perch to one side of the box. Some will use it, and some will prefer to be across the room, but where they can still see the box. I had a guy build my loft and boxes, but later had to add more myself. I'm always changing or adding something in there. It's fun!


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

cool gonna add a few to one side on each one soon. i have them done and in already, i made 12, i have enough stuff for 16 but right now no room  here are a few pic's

first 9









last 3 with a few hanging out


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

yes i know the perchesare there, i either have to move them over or put something on side so they can't see perch. anyway here more pic's.

Dory on her nest, she took right to it after i moved it from the cardboard box she was using  and now i know i have to get nest bowls because these tilt now in the other box they didn't.









Nemo & Dory









Sugar Cream & Hawk ( who was with plum but she stopped paying attention to him ) and their nest..









yes i got some fake eggs too


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Wow, that was fast! Very cute.


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

horseart4u said:


> yes i know the perchesare there, i either have to move them over or put something on side so they can't see perch. anyway here more pic's.
> 
> Dory on her nest, she took right to it after i moved it from the cardboard box she was using  and *now i know i have to get nest bowls because these tilt *now in the other box they didn't.
> 
> yes i got some fake eggs too


Put some wood shavings or sand under the bowl and it will keep it from tilting as much.

Or order some disposable nest bowls...they're real cheap and I find that they last for three or four rounds.


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

Did you run out of plywood? I see you still have cardboard in a couple of them.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Have you thought about putting something solid between the nest boxes, so that they don't see the bird in the next box?


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## Thunderbird Racing (Jul 24, 2010)

Jay3 said:


> Have you thought about putting something solid between the nest boxes, so that they don't see the bird in the next box?


if the nest bowls are placed right, the birds won't be able to see others as is.


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

i ordered the disposable nest bowl yesterday...i didn't run out of ply those were the first 2 i made and left them as is..i have plenty of sand to use so bowl wont tip, till others get here..i have sheets of card board i can slip inbetween will that work? i was gonna put bowl on opposite sides so they aren't close to see the birds in next box. also I Think i got them done just in time Dory laid her first egg last night...while i fed them i switched egg for fake one, i watched her and she went right to it...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Guess you did get them done just in time. Cardboard would work I guess.


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