We Installed a Roll-Away Nesting Box for Our Chicken Coop: Honest Review & First Impressions
We Installed a Roll-Away Nesting Box for Our Chicken Coop: Honest Review & First Impressions
We added a new nesting box to our coop, and I'm so very excited about it! I've wanted a roll away nesting box for a long time now but never did jump on purchasing and installing one.
Typically, I've used homemade and upcycled nesting boxes. These worked just fine, but they did not have a roll away feature for the eggs; that's the part I'm most excited about! In the YouTube video linked further down in the article, you'll find most of this information if you'd prefer to watch my video rather than read this post. Sometimes, as a mother and gardener, it's just easier to listen!
Why I Chose This Particular Egg Nesting Box
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| This is my review of this 3 compartment metal chicken nesting box featuring roll away egg compartments. |
This nesting box was purchased for me as a gift on Amazon, but I did pick it out. So, what made me gravitate towards this particular nesting box?
- To start, I know; I've got a lot more than 3 hens, so why a three-box system? Well, that's because hen logic states that only one nest is acceptable for laying eggs. No matter how many spots there are to choose from, everyone always lays in the EXACT same spot. It's a circus in there! This three-box system should work perfectly well, and I expect that one particular nest will contain 80-90% of all of the eggs. I believe there may be a backup nest for hens who simply cannot wait any longer, and that one might have the few remaining eggs. I don't understand, either.
As for the primary factors, I will list those out below:
- Metal construction- resists degrading.
- Roll-away egg design- keeps hens from damaging eggs.
- Budget-friendly- I didn't want to break the bank.
- Time/labor friendly- I didn't want to build a rollaway nesting box myself.
- Wall mounting- I didn't want to place this nesting box on the ground; yes, I could have modified it to mount if necessary. However, I like that it was lightweight and ready to go!
Assembling & Mounting the Nesting Box
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| This is a great roll away nesting box for backyard chicken coops. I've loved it so far! It's easy to assemble, looks nice, and it'll keep the eggs clean and safe! |
Buying Vs. Building the Nesting Box
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| Side note: we finally got our first egg of 2026! So proud of my leghorns for getting the ball rolling. They currently live in a different coop & run. |
Let's Discuss the Features of This Nesting Box
I'm going to give a quick rundown of some of the features of this nesting box. There are probably some benefits that I'll miss, but hopefully I've included them all!
- Metal & aesthetic: I really wanted a metal nesting box, which will resist rot and be easier to clean. I also love the appearance of the nesting box, and the color. Cute and functional? I'll take it!
- Slanted roof design: Chickens will roost (and therefore poop) on everything. The smooth, slanted roof prevents roosting when mounted and doesn't have any lips or seams that make roosting attempts easier.
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| The slanted roof on this roll away nesting box means there won't be any manure resting on the roof- no cleaning necessary. |
- Removable nesting trays: I love that the trays are removable and should be easy to clean. They also have drainage holes, which allows dirt and debris to fall through (or, busted eggs!)
- Roll-away egg feature: This was the selling point for me. I didn't want any plain old nesting box- roll away eggs were a requirement! Eggs roll towards the collection compartment as soon as they are laid, out of the hen's reach.
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| Roll away nesting boxes keep egg eating hens from reaching the eggs, protecting them. It won't break the habit of egg eating by hens, but it'll likely allow you to keep both the hen, and the eggs. |
- Ceramic eggs included: The ceramic eggs can cost several dollars on their own, so I thought this was a generous addition to the kit. These help to encourage your hens to lay in the nesting box; but the rollaway compartment will have to be blocked off.
- Mounting hardware, screw driver, & gloves included: It was nice that this nesting box came complete with everything you'd need to assemble it, and even contained the mounting hardware. I used my own gloves, but you don't want to assemble this thing without them; there can be sharp edges on some of the metal components. The screwdriver was a nice touch!
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| Traditional nests can result in dirty eggs during wet weather, or if you have ducks. Having the roll away compartment is a huge help! |
Why the Roll Away System Is So Important to Me
Honestly, any nesting situation works fine for the most part. A pile of straw or dried lawn clippings in a dry structure is adequate. You don't need anything special for backyard chickens and fresh eggs. There are drawbacks to open nests, though: including mud season, broodies, and egg eaters.
For me, broody hens are a good thing, so I'm not too worried about a hen going broody. If they're unwanted in your coop, the roll away system keeps eggs out of reach, preventing a hen from being able to sit on the eggs. She may simply find somewhere else to lay her eggs and sit, but she won't be able to take over the primary nesting boxes.
Mud season is another big issue, especially when you have ducks! The eggs all get mucky and muddy, requiring washing. Since the egg rolls away as soon as it's laid, in theory, there should be less mud. Especially since the ducks won't be able to access this nesting box.
Egg eaters are another unfortunate problem. In a large flock, they show up from time to time; and it's a very hard habit to break, after you spend loads of time trying to identify the culprit. If the eggs are inaccessible, the egg eating hen won't be able to do any damage. It will also help to keep hens from developing this habit in the first place.
Personal Opinion: Quality & Potential Drawbacks
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love this nesting box, and I'm sure it's going to perform quite well for me. However, this is a budget friendly item and it is not, by any means, top of the line. It's important that we keep that in mind when discussing the potential drawbacks that I might experience further down the line. I'll describe some of these pain points below:
- Slight flimsiness: This one really isn't a big deal. The metal is strong and sturdy, the structure is sturdy. However, it's got a slight flimsiness to it. You can somewhat shift the structure- nothing drastic, though. I still thought I should mention it.
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| The metal is thin, somewhat flimsy at the joints, but the structure is sturdy and solid. |
- Somewhat dangerous edges: You have to be careful during assembly. If you pick up one of the metal sheets and the weight rests upon your fingers while you're moving them into place, or holding them in place with pressure from above, it's very possible that the metal could cut you. Gloves were a must during assembly.
- Plastic handles & trays: Having plastic trays and handles isn't necessarily bad. It's moreso about the durability of these parts over time. These will be the weakest points of the structure, where I would expect failure to occur. Since the unit is not exposed to sunlight, I'm not concerned about degradation due to UV exposure. That would be a concern if I was mounting this nesting box in an exterior location.
- The handles connect to the plastic tray with small pins, like the doors on a plastic doll house would. Will continuous use wear them out and cause the doors to detach?
- How will the compartments and trays hold up to their sharp nails over time, with over a dozen birds coming and going every day for years?
- Will the trays eventually fail to hold up within the metal frame?
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| The trays themselves may eventually give way. If they do, I can add pieces of plywood in these slots to "fix" it as open nesting boxes. |
Clearly, the plastic components are what I'm concerned most about. Even if the trays wear over time due to their claws, that should not affect use. Primarily, the concerns stem from repeated use of the compartments and whether or not the trays themselves give way over time, and fail to remain suspended within the nesting box. I suspect both issues would take years of use, at which time I may choose to invest in a different nesting box, build my own, or simply modify the remaining metal frame.
To be clear, many affordable roll-away nesting boxes have some plastic components to them, so this isn't an easily avoidable concern without building my own. When I weigh the risk and investment of time and capital between the two options, this is still the winning choice for me. In the end, if I modify the remaining metal frame, I'll still have a very affordable nesting box that's relatively sturdy.
Final Thoughts & Future Updates
Overall, I say this is a very budget friendly, decently made (for the price) nesting box for a backyard flock. It's perfect if you're just looking to upgrade your coop with a nesting box that has a useful roll away feature, while also being aesthetically pleasing.
I will have to provide updates in the future letting you all know how it performs as time goes by. Some plastics are very resilient, and hold up for many, many years. This product seems to be made with a higher quality plastic, so I'm pretty confident in it. I cannot wait to see what our hens think of this fancy new upgrade! This post is being published in January of 2026, so if you come across it in the future, leave me a comment asking how it's held up if you're curious!
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