I found some 2x4s laying around, if you don't have any you can get the stud grade I have them at Lowe's for $1.57 for the 2x4 x96 studs. I used about five, if I count my scrap. Then I used a peace of 15/32 inch plywood at 2FT x 4FT as the bottem. I ran a 4FT peace of 2X4 on one side, and four 18 inch peaces on the ends standing up right with supporting 2x4 peaces forming a box at the top and bottem of my up right peaces. Make sure the supporting peaces are on the outside, as you will need them later. My only question, of witch I have not tested, as I still have nails to cut off before doing this, is I atached screening to the short ends as I was reading that a open air coop is better then a dark dank closed up coop. I then took some old barn wood from a barn we took down next dore, and used it for the back as I didn't have any more plywoodI then started running out of scroos, hints the nails that I have to cut off, my framing gun only had really long nails in it at the time. I plan to add a hinged top as I am thinking of cutting an opening in the coop wall, and ataching the box over it on the outside so that the Hens can go in and out at will. I spent in all $20 on my coop and nesting box. I had the deck scroos and the 15/32 plywood left over from building the dog houses, and the 1/4 sheets were removed from the walls of the house when we took out the old bathroom. This is why I tell people not to get rid of things that you might use later. if anyone has a good idea about the screened sides, Please let me know if I should close them up. On the coop, I am installing a screen dore on the south side, that can close at night, but open in the day time to let the hens out to the yard.

Nancy - congrats and well wishes for another nesting this season. Lisa - Don't count your chickens yet - with the birdy "Day of Our Lives" going on in your backyard, I'd be surprised at nothing. I was sure my pair would head out after they fledged batch #2 - I had to leave on vacation for a week and stopped putting out mealie. But, surprise! When I got home, Momma had a lovely third nest built and had already filled it with four eggs. I'll cross my fingers for you - your girly bird is a Hussy-Mom, afterall...

Michelle and Jean, I think what you're describing is a nestbox/hanging system that is used by Linda Violet. She reports great success with western bluebirds with this system and claims that boxes installed in this manner at not as targeted by house sparrows. I have doubts that such a system would work in my area, however, both because of climbing predators and because of the dreaded house wrens. I think, also, that house sparrow behavior may differ in different parts of the country. I, too, would worry about handling a nestbox in this manner. Bluebird eggs and young are very fragile and I would be nervous about the possibility of them being harmed during the lowering/lifting process. Unfortunately, vandalism is an issue in many places and if this system works for those using it, I'm all for it. Kathy

Three years ago I built a screech owl nest box and put it in a maple about 15 feet above the ground. After a starling nest and two years of squirrels, a family of red morph screech owls have moved in. The tree is at the edge of a wooded area facing south toward a 20 acre area of open organic farm, some wooded area and open field. The fledglings can often be seen peaking out of the hole. I live in eastern Long Island NY.