HawkinsHollow
Member
My son and I went down and freshened the bedding in our nest boxes yesterday. Looks like we had 3 successful hatches in our 2 boxes. 
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Time to get those Nest boxes ready!
- Thread starter HawkinsHollow
- Start date
ghadarits
Senior Member
I commend your efforts. I used to put them out but I’m not good about going back and doing the maintenance. Mainly because they’re on property I don’t have access to any longer. Hopefully someone is. It looks like you are good at that so good on you.
I'd get them done as soon as possible. I've had hens nest as early as the first week of February in warmer winters.
cowhornedspike
Senior Member
I have found full nests with hens sitting on Feb 1 while freshening up my boxes. Needs to be done asap!
HawkinsHollow
Member
Yep, in this part of the world it should be happening any time now. That being said, if you get one out in March good chances someone will still use it. I had as 2 different hens use 1 of my boxes last year, the second one didn't come in until March some time.
Gut_Pile
Senior Member
The three at my parents house got a fresh batch of bedding this past weekend. Should start happening any day now
cowhornedspike
Senior Member
I have always used a steel fence post or steel pipe and then slid a pvc pipe down over it before mounting the box above the pvc. Never had any critter problems that way as far as I know.
across the river
Senior Member
If it is a lone tree by itself, it might work. If there are other trees around that would allow snakes, raccoons, possums, etc... to access that tree from another tree above, then there is still a good chance something will likely still be able to get to them from above. You ideally want it on a single pole with a predator guard and no tree limbs above it that anything could use to drop down on it from above.
