Chickens...laying eggs

The "Girls" have been exhibiting behaviors indicative of a fast approaching egg laying season. We knew that they would begin laying by early October so we were a little slow in building our nesting boxes.
When putting away stock at work I thought that these plastic storage containers would work fine. Drill a drainage hole for easy cleaning, mount and place a 2x4 along the inside bottom behind them; to give them a slight tilt inward. Cut the covers, build a bench to help them get into the nests and presto!
We had the incentive we needed when Annie found two eggs in the coop shavings and one broken out in the run. After the nesting boxes were complete Annie placed the fresh eggs into the boxes just to help promote the idea that this is where you lay eggs.
On another note.... Fort Seuss, as we like to call the coop that I made using scrap pallets, weathered Irene quite nicely. I do need to extend the roof though. Perhaps build a slant around all four side to allow for better protection allowing the rain to fall away from the coop.
The chickens are great fun and seem to like our company as well. Annie says that I shouldn't be fooled because we're nothing more than human Pez Dispensers to them. And that may be true - however who is really popping out treats? Eggs, eggs, and more eggs. Who is the dispenser now?