What do you use as nests?

Right now I'm using little wooden boxes that hang on the walls, but they're hard to see into and they're hard to get eggs out of. I have some bowls and hanging baskets, but they've never layed any eggs in them.

I have individual wooden boxes that are 12"x12". Each has a strip of wood acroos the front to keep the nesting material from falling out. Tomorrow I'll take a picture.

We have a bank of 8 boxes (4 above 4). Each level has a hinged front that we generally leave flipped open but we could close & hook it in place if we needed to keep someone in their nest. There is a "step down" into the box from the open front which is enough to keep the nest material in. It was also enough to protect the yunguns ... when we did let them hatch. Since this photo was taken, we've added feed & water dishes to each box so the nesting bird can still eat & drink. We've also tried several approaches to the actual nest material....plastic bowls, cardboard "throw-away" bowls, just putting Timothy grass in the boxes, tobacco stems, pine needles, etc. Some prefer the cardboard bowls while others seem to prefer the open box with just the Timothy Grass added to the floor. Tobacco stems were a hit...but expensive....and they ALL pack the feathers in no matter what bedding material we offer. Someone recently pulled a bunch of plum tree leaves through the Flight fencing, too. Interestingly enough, no one has chosen the nest boxes with the deeper plastic bowls! We also have several pairs who prefer a spot on the floor - under these wood boxes, behind the feed bucket, and even in the pan we have under the feeding station to catch the seed & grit they toss around.

Beautiful nest boxes, Judi.

Love your set up, Judi.

Luna Wolf wrote:

Right now I'm using little wooden boxes that hang on the walls, but they're hard to see into and they're hard to get eggs out of.

I have some bowls and hanging baskets, but they've never layed any eggs in them.

I also have some hanging baskets as well as baskets on the three perching areas.
Pij'ette, Sadie, Sam and Dumpling don't seem to have any problem laying eggs in them. But the good thing is, the baskets are easy to check.

I need to build something like that when the weather gets a bit warmer!

Quote :

also have some hanging baskets as well as baskets on the three perching areas.
Pij'ette, Sadie, Sam and Dumpling don't seem to have any problem laying eggs in them. But the good thing is, the baskets are easy to check.

They love to fill them up with feathers and twigs, though.

We use baskets too! We stuff um' full of hay... and of course they add their "treasures" to them too... feathers and such. Thus far --- no complaints.

We are building indoor avairys for ours after the holidays and I'm thinking of switching to boxes... seems much better.. LOVE yours Judi!

Earlier this year I made a stack of wooden nest boxes. It wasn't too difficult of a project. I painted them with some leftover washable latex paint.


I also bought some plastic bins on sale at a local store. I attached nest fronts to some of them. They stack and are easily washed.

Those are great, Jen.

Great job, Jen. I'd do great if they needed to be wll papered but as far as putting something together like you did...no way...not me. Like I said...I could wall paper them.