How to Build a Chicken Coop Egg Tray

Chickens are productive and engaging creatures.

Keeping chickens has become a popular pastime. Local farming and interest in humanely-raised animal products have encouraged many people to get a chicken or two, to ensure that their eggs are laid by happy and well-treated hens. Fresh eggs from uncaged chickens are generally disease-free and better tasting, plus the birds themselves make clean and delightful pets. Chickens are intelligent and beneficial birds for the backyard or small-scale farmer, producing fertilizer and eating insect pests. Poultry keepers may opt to sell eggs and even the composted manure.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic tray that holds 30 eggs
• Metal handle
• 3 wire coat hangers (or roll of similar gauged wire)
• Bead or wire-bending pliers
• Vise

Instructions

1. Measure the plastic egg tray. Most trays measure approximately 11 1/2 to 12 inches, and are square in shape. Assemble a brace for the egg tray's. Open up the coat hangers by cutting off the hooked part. Take the remaining wire and straighten it using a vise. Cut the hooks from and straighten all three hangers.

2. Measure two of the hanger wires to fit underneath the egg tray. Mark each wire where it meets the corner of the tray. These are the points where you will bend the wire to fit tightly along the sides of the plastic tray.Secure the wire in the vise and bend the marked section upwards. Do this for both sides and each wire. They will form identical flat-bottomed "U" shapes.

3. Take the third wire and use it as the brace for the other two "U" wires. Bend one end of the third wire around the center of the flat bottom of the "U." Ensure that the rack sits at least 2 inches in from either end of the plastic tray. For a 12-inch tray the rack will span 8 inches. Determine the proper span for your tray and bend the brace around the bottom of the other "U" shaped wire. Cut the excess from the brace wire.

4. Place the egg tray into the wire rack. Cut the tops of the four "U" wires so that they are of equal height. Adjust the height as desired, but leave enough excess wire to form the loops at each end. Bend the 4 top corners of each "U" into loops. Attach a length of ribbon, twine, string or thin chain to each loop. Make sure the rope or string is sturdy and the chain not too thick. Take the wire handle and insert the ribbon or chain into the hooks of the handle.

Tips & Warnings

• Use different craft wires and ribbons to add visual interest and creativity to the project. Decorative chain or ribbons can be fixed under the tray to form a basket. Affix the wire handle to the chain basket.

• Add beads to the wire handle, or to the rack arms, before bending the four top loops.

• Instead of wire, you can make an identical tray out of wood, or consider a more intricate design. Basket and chair cane weavers can fashion a rack out of cane or other weaving material.

• Accuracy is important when bending the rack wire. An unsteady rack can cause the eggs to roll out from the plastic tray. Be sure the loops are tight.

References

• Proper handling of eggs - from hen to consumption
• Small-scale egg handling - 1
• 30-egg plastic tray