Storms and chickens

[m3tz]

Hi All

We bought a Mk1 Cube second hand to house our 3 hens. Everything looks good - nothing looks broken or perished but every time it rains - water gets into the back end of the nest box. Not sure if this is from the side door or the back. 

It saturates the shavings we put in and the hens don't seem to lay in there until we clean it out which is quite inefficient when it's everyday.

Has anyone else experienced this or does anyone have any ideas of what we could try to stop this happening?

[Ursula123]

It is common in the Mk1 cube. Make sure the cube is absolutely level also there should be rubber grommets in the holes at the end of the roof grooves make sure these aren’t blocked as this allows water to drain.

[m3tz]

Thanks for the reply, it isn't 100% level so that would be a good start to try. 

[mullethunter]

I have exactly this issue. I can sometimes solve it by covering the top of the nestbox with a tarp but only if I get it absolutely right. I don’t think my house is dead level so that might be why.

[Cat tails]

Think my dad added some extra rubbers to the egg port.

I wonder if giving the water something to run along on the inside of the wall could solve the problem. Something like twine or wire, so it has something to travel along.

[m3tz]

Hi,

Thanks for the response. Have you got any pictures you could share of the extra rubbers? 

Just looked in the nest box again this morning and it's wet although it hardly rained last night.

All your help is really appreciated. 

[Cat tails]

On 11/3/2021 at 10:06 AM, m3tz said:

Hi,

Thanks for the response. Have you got any pictures you could share of the extra rubbers? 

Just looked in the nest box again this morning and it's wet although it hardly rained last night.

All your help is really appreciated. 

Could be condensation too then. Maybe give your Cube a deep clean. Could be that the ventilation is blocked by leaf litter and such?

[m3tz]

Just Thought I'd make an update, Used a level to make sure the egg box is completely level which it is now, the egg box side door has actually always been partially shielded by the neighbours fence but that hasn't stopped the rain water getting in.

Anyway yea now it is completely level it has stopped 75% maybe 80-90% of the rain but the real heavy driving rain it still gets it wet.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions :) 

[chooksRCute]

Check to see if there are any rubber bracket covers, I’ve just replaced mine because they had perished & it leaked like crazy without them. 

[mullethunter]

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Edited September 13, 2022 by mullethunter
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[mullethunter]

This has solved the problem!!!! Thankyou so much. 
 

Only been living with it for about 6 years 🙄