I added a Hengear nestbox on my chickshaw too (mine's much smaller, I built the 4x4 mini-shaw). The hens didn't want to lay in it at first, they were laying on the ground instead even with the fake egg inside (btw the keychain is for attaching the fake egg to the metal grid under the nest pad so it doesn't roll down). I ended up having to add a little straw inside the Hengear box, which I gradually removed once they got used to laying there. I also had to put a screw in the side to attach the nestbox more permanently to the frame of the chickshaw as it tended to want to swing a little bit. Lifting the roosting bar didn't keep my girls from sleeping inside, they just squeezed on in anyway.
Hello. Again, a very informative video, thank you for "making me watch it". I want to ask two questions. 1-) How many laying hens can be accommodated in this chicken tractor with an area of 2.5mtX6mt=15mt2. 2-) On the side where the fixed wheels are located, the bottom of the tractor remains higher than the ground of the land. How do you protect chickens from predators that can enter through this gap or reach out and catch the chickens? I would be very happy if I could get answers to these questions.
The video I have been waiting on. Thank you. You forgot to mention cheaper wheel option, it's OK. I'm going to recycle some non-pneumatic wheel off of an old shooting cart, and since I'm not an early riser, an automatic door opener...will check out nesting box...if not to expensive. I will chime in with the cost, most suplies I will have gotten for free. (That will be a nope on the nesting box).
Very cool design. I like the modifications you made to the chickshaw. I am especially interested in how those wheels work for you over time. I'm assuming those were a lot cheaper than the Justin Rhodes design? However, on rough terrain those smaller wheels may be more difficult to move around? Also, the bigger size of the coop adds a lot of weight? You all have nice flat pastures, so it's probably not a big deal for you.
Is anyone with this Hen Gear nestbox having trouble getting the chickens to go into all the bays? they are only going into the left side, if it's taken which a broody chicken has been, they won't go into any other open section.
