My favorite nesting box finally gave out after 7 seasons

That old wooden nesting box I built back in 2017 finally split right down the side last Tuesday. A hen was sitting in there and the whole thing just collapsed under her... she was not happy about it. I grabbed some scrap plywood from the garage and patched it up temporary, but it's got me thinking about switching to plastic ones. Has anyone else had luck with those molded plastic nesting boxes holding up better than wood?

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph93222d ago

I read that plastic ones don't rot but they can crack in cold weather.

luna58921d ago

@joseph932 you're right about the cracking thing, I had a plastic one split right down the middle after a real cold snap a few years back. The temp dropped below zero for like a week straight and that plastic just got brittle and gave out. I've also noticed they can get kinda slick and slippery inside, some hens don't seem to like that feeling under their feet when they're sitting. Plus the wood ones breathe better I think, less condensation buildup especially in humid weather. Maybe a good middle ground is getting a hard plastic liner but keeping the wooden frame for support, that way you get the rot resistance where it matters most.

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betty_white391d ago

That plastic liner idea is smart - I've used that trick myself after a wooden floor rotted out on me one wet spring. The key is drilling a few small drainage holes in that liner so moisture doesn't pool up underneath and cause trouble. Just make sure the liner isn't too thin or it'll crack just like the all-plastic ones did.