A nesting box with a roll out tray is a chicken nest box built with a gently sloped floor, a lip that acts as an egg guard, and a covered collection tray. The hen sits on the incline, the egg rolls away from her into the tray, and you collect it from outside the nest. That design keeps eggs clean and unbroken, and it is the single best upgrade you can make if your flock breaks, dirties, or eats eggs. This roundup covers the ten best nesting boxes with roll out trays on the market, compared against each other on build, hen capacity, mounting and cleaning, so you can pick the right one for your coop and your flock size.
We lined up all ten units against each other on the specifications that decide purchases, then read every verified owner review behind them alongside years of owner reports on Backyard Chickens and Reddit. Every rating and review count below is copied straight from the listing, and the owner experiences we quote are attributed to the forum they came from rather than presented as our own testing. If you want a fast answer, the Tiflev 4-Hole Double-Decker took the top spot because it has the most-reviewed owner feedback in the group and its owners report clean eggs within days. For a cheaper plastic route, the AugFir 2-Compartment is hard to argue with, and for an all-metal build with no paint and no plastic anywhere in it, the Hen’s Choice 2-Compartment removes every corrosion variable.
A word on what the owner feedback shows honestly. Roll out boxes are not magic. Most of them fail for one of two reasons: hens refuse to use them, or you pile bedding into the bay and stop the egg from rolling. Both problems have straightforward fixes, and we cover them in the training and buying sections below, because no competitor page on this topic answers either question. Owner reports also show that advertised hen capacity runs optimistic, so read the comfort numbers rather than the marketing numbers.
Before the rankings, here is the short glossary the rest of the article assumes. Roll out, roll-out, rollaway, roll away and roll-away all describe the same mechanism; brands are simply inconsistent, so we use all five spellings here. A reversible mount means the collection tray can face the front of the coop or the rear. An egg guard is the lip at the end of the slope that stops a rolling egg from dropping out of the nest. A community-style box has one wide shared opening rather than divided compartments. A perch popper is a bar that lets you block nest access overnight. And the comfort number is the realistic bird count, which sits well below the advertised maximum.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Nesting Boxes With Roll Out Trays in 2026
Tiflev 4-Hole Roll Away Box
- Double-decker 4-hole galvanized design
- Roll-away egg channel with covered collection
- Removable pull-out metal trays
- Includes a dummy egg
AugFir 2-Compartment Roll…
- Extra large plastic compartments
- Roll-away collection under front lid
- Stackable
- wall-mountable or freestanding
Hen’s Choice 2-Bay Galvaniz…
- Fully galvanized
- unpainted
- plastic-free
- Washable nesting pad included
- Removable collection-area bottom
Our overall winner sits at number one for volume of real-world feedback rather than raw star count. The Hen’s Choice unit carries the highest average rating of the two most-reviewed picks and its removable bottom makes cleaning the fastest of the metal boxes, but with 55 reviews it is a thinner evidence base than the Tiflev’s 141. We weighed rating and review volume together rather than picking the highest single number.
How a Roll Out Tray Actually Works
The mechanism is simple enough that any competent DIYer can build one, which is why so many forum threads feature homemade versions. Inside the nest, the floor tilts a few degrees toward the collection side. The hen settles onto that incline, lays, and the egg moves. A lip or wire at the bottom of the slope catches the egg so it cannot roll out of the box and land on the coop floor. The egg then sits in a covered channel or tray, shielded from the hen’s feet and from any flockmate still looking for a bite.
That single change removes three separate problems at once. Stepped-on eggs disappear because nothing is lying loose under the bird. Soiled eggs disappear because the egg leaves the nest the moment it is laid. And you no longer have to reach under a sitting hen or crawl into the coop, which matters more than most buyers expect when the box is mounted at head height on a wall with a roost bar in front of it.
The motivation behind most of these purchases is egg eating, and it is worth saying why. A hen becomes an egg eater almost always after she has broken one and tasted the contents. Once that happens, the behaviour is notoriously hard to break; one Backyard Chickens commenter described curing it by poking holes in both ends of a bad egg and blowing out the contents rather than changing any equipment. A roll out tray removes the broken egg from the equation, which attacks the cause instead of the symptom.
Material: galvanized steel resists rust and chewing, impact-resistant plastic is light, cheap and easy to rinse.
Layout: divided bays give privacy; a community-style dividerless interior stops hens squabbling over one favoured nest.
Mechanism: a sloped floor plus an egg guard plus a covered tray is what keeps eggs clean and unbroken.
Collection side: reversible mounts let you collect from inside or outside the coop, which decides where the box can physically go.
Sizing: one bay per three to four hens is the baseline, and comfort numbers land nearer two per bay.
Two terms get confused constantly. A roll out box moves the egg out of the nest. A reversible box describes where the tray is accessed, not how the egg moves. Some of the units below are both. None of them are egg collection systems in the incubator sense; they simply put the egg somewhere safe.
Best Nesting Boxes With Roll Out Trays Compared (October 2026)
The table below is the fastest way to narrow the field. Every product in this roundup appears, with the specification that decides most purchases: how many hens it claims, what it is made of, and whether you can reach the tray from either side of the coop.
| Product | Specs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Tiflev 4-Hole Double-Decker Roll Away Nest Box |
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| AugFir 2-Compartment Extra Large Roll Out Nest Box |
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 FEOKUMO 6-Compartment Galvanized Roll Away Nest Box |
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 VEVOR 2-Tier 6-Compartment Roll Out Nesting Box |
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 VEVOR 10-Compartment Roll Away Nest Box with Support Legs |
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 Redants Reversible Metal Nest Box for 20+ Hens |
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 RentACoop 3-Compartment Reversible Roll Out Nest Box |
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| Hen’s Choice 2-Compartment All-Galvanized Roll Away Nest Box |
|
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 HenGear Medium Community-Style Roll Away Nest Box |
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Check Latest Price |
 HVDI 2-Compartment Snap-Together Roll Out Nest Box |
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Check Latest Price |
1. Tiflev 4-Hole Double-Decker Roll Away Nest Box: best overall for a backyard flock up to about 12 hens
Chicken Nesting Boxes, Roll Away Nest Box for Egg Collector, 4 Holes Orange
Galvanized steel
Roll-away covered egg channel
21 x 20 x 30 in
24.69 lb
Pros
- Sturdy galvanized and powder-coated metal that owners expect to last
- Cut dirty and pecked eggs sharply once installed
- Hens adapted within hours to a couple of days
- Fits large breeds such as Buff Orpingtons
- All hardware plus spares included
Cons
- Instructions are poorly written and partly refer to a different model
- Must be wall mounted or the eggs do not roll
- No solid back panel so non-wood surfaces need plywood
This is the box with the deepest owner feedback in the roundup. It carries a 4.3 rating across 141 reviews, the largest verified review base of any unit we covered, and the review pattern is unusually consistent: people bought it to stop egg-eating and dirty eggs, and the roll-away channel delivered inside a few days. Hens that had ignored their old wooden boxes were laying in it within hours on some coops and a couple of days on others.
The double-decker layout is the reason it fits where a single-tier box will not. Two tiers of two compartments each means four bays in a footprint of 21 x 20 x 30 inches, which is roughly what a single-tier two-bay box needs. That makes it the sensible pick for a small coop where wall space is the binding constraint. It weighs 24.69 pounds, so it needs solid mounting rather than propping.
Ventilation holes on the back panels and on each tray handle moisture, and the sloped roof discourages hens from perching on top, which keeps fouling out of the bays. Owners with large breeds are the group most enthusiastic about it: the compartment proportions suit Buff Orpingtons and Australorps, which is where several narrower boxes fall down.
The important caveat is installation, and it is not optional. The egg only rolls if the box is mounted to a wall at the correct height with a slight forward tilt. Set on the coop floor, eggs do not move, and owners who did this report a box that looked fine and did nothing. Because there is no solid back panel, mounting on a non-wood surface means adding plywood behind it first. Treat this as a two-person job, and push each tray fully back so it does not tip forward under a hen’s weight.
What makes it the most reliable choice for a mixed-breed backyard flock
Four bays at roughly three to four hens each covers a typical 10 to 12 bird flock with a little slack for the hens that insist on sharing. Large breeds are the deciding factor. Reviews from Orpington and Australorp owners describe the compartments as comfortable rather than cramped, and several mention the included dummy egg helping pullets settle in quickly.
Where it falls short for you
The paperwork is the weak point. Multiple owners describe the instructions as confusing and at points referring to a different model, so budget time for figuring out the assembly rather than assuming it is a bolt-together kit. A few also mention slightly sharp metal edges worth checking before the hens go in. If you have never installed a metal box before, read our mounting notes below before you drill.
2. AugFir 2-Compartment Extra Large Roll Out Nest Box: best value plastic pick for medium to large hens
Chicken Nesting Box, 2 Compartment Nesting Boxes for Chickens, Large Chicken Laying Boxes for Egg Collection & Hen on Nest, Roll Away Nesting Boxes Chicken (Extra Large)
All-weather plastic
Roll-away front collection area
11 x 12 x 26 in
8.51 lb
Pros
- Lightweight rust-free plastic that wipes clean in seconds
- Stackable and wall-mountable or freestanding with no drilling
- Roomy compartments suit medium and large hens
- Built-in vents and base drainage holes
Cons
- Plastic feels light next to the metal options
- Hens need an adjustment period before they use it
This is the budget route into roll out boxes, and it does the core job properly. The sloped design rolls eggs under a hinged front lid, out of reach of pecking, and at 8.51 pounds it is by far the easiest unit here to move, wipe down and reposition. Owners consistently like the fact that the box can live on the wall, stand on a shelf, or stack horizontally or vertically as the flock grows.
The extra large compartments are the surprise. Cheaper plastic boxes often shrink the bay until a standard hen refuses it, and this one is roomy enough that owners with bigger breeds report no problems at all. Base drainage holes stop liquid collecting in the tray, which matters in a damp run or during a wet winter.
What you give up for the lighter build and lower outlay is rigidity. Owners note that the plastic feels light compared with the metal models, and a Backyard Chickens member made the broader point about this whole category: predators and pests can chew through plastic and lift the lid. In a secure run that is a fair trade. In an open run with determined raccoons, it is not.
The other recurring note is adoption. Hens need a few days of training before they reliably use these boxes, which is normal and covered in the training section below. Do not interpret a quiet first week as a failure.
Why it works well in a small coop with limited wall space
At 11 x 12 x 26 inches for the pair, this is one of the smallest footprints in the roundup while still offering two private bays. The drill-free mounting option is the real convenience: you can trial it in three positions before you commit to screws, which is exactly what hens with strong existing preferences need.
Where it falls short for you
It is not the choice for free-range or open-run flocks where predators are a live concern. If your hens already break eggs or have a predator history, the money is better spent on galvanized steel.
3. FEOKUMO 6-Compartment Galvanized Roll Away Nesting Box: best for six bays you can reposition freely
6-Compartment Roll Away Chicken Nesting Box for Hens, 32.6 Inch
Galvanized metal panels
Front collection tray
32.6 x 16.9 x 24.4 in
28.1 lb
Pros
- Roomy bays that comfortably fit larger layers
- Sturdy galvanized metal built for years of service
- Chickens and even ducks moved in within a day or two
- Easy to clean with a simple front tray
Cons
- Assembly is fiddly and the diagrams mislabel hardware
- Adding nesting pads or hay can stop eggs reaching the tray
- Backless design feels flimsy when used freestanding
Six separated laying bays with side ventilation, a front collection tray and galvanized panels that owners describe as long-lived. At 32.6 inches long and 28.1 pounds, this is the unit we would pick for a flock in the 18 to 24 hen range that wants privacy per bay rather than a shared community opening. It is also available in several height and length configurations, so it can be stacked into a two-high wall arrangement if your run height allows.
The roll itself works well. Sloped floors send eggs cleanly into the front tray, and owners with chickens and ducks report the flock adopting the boxes within a day or two. Cleaning is straightforward because the collection is at the front rather than underneath.
This box also teaches the bedding lesson by accident. Owners who filled the bays with nesting pads or hay reported eggs that sat in the nest and stopped rolling, which is exactly the conflict we address in the bedding section below. Leave the bays close to empty and the tray system behaves as designed.
Two structural warnings. The backless design only feels solid when it is fixed to a wall; freestanding use reads as flimsy to several owners. And the tray top is not fully solid, so droppings from above can land on eggs if you mount it under a roost bar without a guard board. One reviewer also reported paint peeling from the top within six months, which is a reminder that coated steel ages differently from bare galvanized steel.
Why it suits a flock of roughly 18 to 24 hens with privacy needs
Six bays at three hens each gets you to about 18 birds at the advertised capacity, and closer to 12 at the realistic comfort number. The per-bay ventilation keeps damp out during wet months, and ducks, which are fussier about nesting than most poultry, settled in quickly. Mount it to a solid wall and clear a guard board above the tray, and most of the reported drawbacks disappear.
Where it falls short for you
Assembly quality is the honest weak spot. Owners describe the diagrams as mislabelling screws and nuts and the build as fiddly rather than satisfying. If you dislike flat-pack metal work, this is not the unit to learn on.
4. VEVOR 2-Tier 6-Compartment Roll Out Nesting Box: best for small coops that need vertical capacity
VEVOR 2 Tiers Chicken Nesting Boxes, 6 Compartments, Metal Egg Laying Boxes with Protective Collection Lids, Roll Out Nesting Box, Easy to Assemble, Ideal for Hens, Ducks, Chickens, and Other Poultry
6 compartments, 10.4 in each
Galvanized steel with plastic trays
31.3 x 20.6 x 31.1 in
27.07 lb
Pros
- Sturdy and straightforward to assemble and install
- Sloped floor works with or without shavings
- Protective lids keep hens from pecking the channel
- Good finish and popular outside the US too
Cons
- Compartment width is tight for larger hens
- Some hens refused the boxes entirely
- Bedding gets pushed into the egg slot and can catch eggs
VEVOR builds this as a configurable unit. The same six bays can be arranged as two tiers or as a single layer, and there are several length and height variants, so you can match it to a short wall or a tall one. Each compartment is 10.4 inches wide, which is where the design decision bites: it works well for standard and bantam-adjacent flocks and less well for large breeds.
The protective lids over the collection area are the detail owners like most. Eggs roll forward into a channel the hens cannot reach into, and the lids keep curious flockmates from pecking at the contents. Owners also confirm the sloped floor still works with shavings in place, which puts it ahead of most metal boxes on the bedding question.
Reviews here are genuinely split, and the reason is nearly always the same. When the flock fits the 10.4 inch bay, owners praise the sturdiness, the roll and the lids. When the hens are larger, they lay somewhere else and the box does nothing. Measure your biggest hen against the bay width before buying, and give the flock a week before judging.
Two smaller notes. Bedding can migrate into the egg slot and catch an egg, which is annoying but not structural. One European reviewer also reported a set arriving with parts missing, the only low-rating review tied to a supply problem rather than to the product itself.
Why it works well in a short or low-roofed coop
The two-tier layout is the whole point. Six bays in a 31.3 inch footprint is a density that single-tier boxes in this roundup cannot match, which matters when wall height is measured in inches rather than feet. The galvanized steel body with high-strength plastic trays gives you the durability of metal where it matters and the light handling you want on the trays.
Where it falls short for you
Large breeds. If your flock is Orpingtons, Australorps or anything similarly heavy, the 10.4 inch bays are tight and you will be collecting eggs from the floor. Pick a wider-bay unit such as the Hen’s Choice 2-Compartment or the Redants box instead.
5. VEVOR 10-Compartment Roll Away Nest Box with Support Legs: best for large flocks that need to stand alone
VEVOR Chicken Nesting Boxes, 10 Compartments, with Support Legs, Easy Egg Collection, Galvanized Steel and High-Strength Plastic, Roll Away Nesting Boxes for Chickens and Hens Laying Eggs, Orange
10 compartments, 10.4 in each
Galvanized steel, plastic trays
51.97 x 20.67 x 38.98 in
52.91 lb
Pros
- Heavy
- stable construction that does not wobble
- Support legs let a ten-compartment unit stand alone
- Chickens often started laying in it the same day
- Easy to rinse and disinfect with a quick build
Cons
- Bays are small even for medium hens
- Trays are stiff to push in and remove
- Shallow tray angle stops the roll once nesting pads go in
This is the largest unit in the roundup, and the one that changes the economics for a serious flock. Ten compartments, each rated at up to five hens, on four support legs that let it stand freestanding with no wall mounting at all. At 52.91 pounds it is genuinely stable, which is the point: owners who converted their flock rated the build quality highest of anything in this roundup because the box does not rock.
That stability is not cosmetic. Several boxes in this roundup stop working the moment they rock, because a tilted tray is a tray that does not roll. Owners of this unit report chickens laying in it the same day it was built, and the angled trays guide eggs into a collection area behind a handle, with fully detachable trays for draining and rinsing.
Assemble it with no nesting pads in the bays for the first fortnight. Several owners who fitted pads found the shallow tray angle insufficient and eggs stayed put, which is a design characteristic rather than a defect, but it is exactly the trade-off you accept for trays you can remove entirely. Fully detachable, drainable trays make the cleaning routine quick once you accept working without bedding.
Smaller gripes: the trays are stiff to push back in, and the lids do not always latch, which some owners read as a predator gap in an exposed run. Written instructions confuse people, though a QR code links to an assembly video that does the job better.
Why it earns a place in a 30 to 40 hen flock
At the advertised five hens per bay this covers a lot of birds in one footprint, and the legs mean you are not dependent on wall structure. For a small farm that collects eggs daily and wants one washing station rather than six boxes, that consolidation is worth more than the per-bay dimensions.
Where it falls short for you
The 10.4 inch bays put off larger breeds, and some flocks never adopted the boxes at all. If your birds are big, buy width rather than count.
6. Redants Reversible Metal Nest Box for 20+ Hens: best for predator security and curtain-controlled hens
Redants Chicken Nesting Box, Metal Chicken Laying Box with Roll Away Egg Collection, Reversible Wall Mountable Chicken Coop Nesting Boxes for Hens, Ducks, Waterproof, 24″×19.5″×20″, Up to 20+ Hens
Galvanized steel, waterproof
Reversible front or back collection
24 x 19.5 x 20 in
28.5 lb
Pros
- Sturdy galvanized build described as heavy duty and waterproof
- Curtains attract hens and hide collected eggs
- Predator locks dampen the noise of the hinged back plate
- Spacious interior for 20+ hens
Cons
- Assembly needs real metalwork skill
- Roll-away only works mounted the correct way round
This is the unit that treats the human as part of the design. The red privacy curtains are the star feature: they make the nest more attractive to a hen looking for a dark, enclosed laying spot, and at the same time they block the view into the collection area so a flockmate cannot see eggs sitting there. Owners call out both jobs by name, which is unusual for a feature that costs nothing to add.
The reversible mount lets you decide whether to collect from the front or the back of the box, which is genuinely useful when wall space is asymmetric. A lever lifts the panels to discourage overnight roosting, and two sets of double predator locks are included alongside a full hardware set with a screwdriver.
Ratings here skew strongly positive, with around seven in ten reviews at five stars, and the owner summary points to the curtains and the predator locks as the details that justify stepping up from a cheaper metal box. At 24 x 19.5 x 20 inches the interior is spacious, and owners running 20+ hens find it comfortable.
Assembly is the reservation, and it is a real one. This is a build rather than a bolt-together kit, so it needs someone comfortable with metalwork. Get the orientation right when you mount it; the roll-away function depends on the tray sitting on the correct side.
Why it suits a coop with a predator history and free-ranging hens
The latches and the curtain system attack two separate problems at once. Double predator locks stop the hinged back plate from being lifted and dampen the noise it makes, and the curtains mean the eggs are not on display. For an owner whose hens already have an egg-eating habit, hiding the eggs matters as much as protecting them.
Where it falls short for you
It is not a small-box answer and not a beginner-assembly answer. Two compartments’ worth of usable space at 20+ hens is comfortable but not generous, and if you are not confident with a flat-pack metal build, allow an afternoon.
7. RentACoop 3-Compartment Reversible Roll Out Nest Box: best for collecting from inside or outside the coop
RentACoop Metal Chicken Nesting Box, Roll Out Reversible, 3 Compartments
All-metal with vinyl curtains
Reversible inside or outside collection
31.25 x 27.5 x 17 in
29 lb
Pros
- Removed poopy and stepped-on eggs within a day for most owners
- Metal build from a brand with a deep accessory line
- Free designer curtains included and easy to install
- Collect from either side of the coop
Cons
- Poorly detailed instructions
- Boxes can rock when set inside the coop and the roll stops
- Slotted tray bottoms let in light and litter
- Sharp edges that cut installer and hens
RentACoop builds this for a flock of 10 to 12 hens across three openings, with a sloped roll-out design and a reversible mount that works inside or outside the coop. For most owners who installed it properly, the result was immediate: poopy eggs and stepped-on eggs stopped within a day of mounting, and the egg-eating behaviour went with them.
The extra touches are good. Heavy-duty vinyl privacy curtains and top vents come standard, and there is a voucher for free designer curtains in the box. The sloped roof discourages roosting and fouling, and there is no loose bedding needed because a slight forward tilt at mounting is what enables the roll.
Now the honest part, and it is the single most useful warning in this article. If you set this box on the coop floor instead of mounting it flush, it rocks, and a rocking box does not roll eggs. Several of the lowest reviews trace directly back to that mistake. Mount it level and tight to structure and the mechanism behaves.
Other recurring points: the slotted tray bottoms admit light and litter, and some owners taped them dark to discourage hens investigating. One or more collection lids do not latch, and there are sharp edges that cut both the person installing and the hens, so add foam edging. Any nesting mat stops eggs rolling or traps them at the exit, and the instructions are the least clear of any box here.
Why it works well when you collect eggs without entering the coop
The reversible mount is the reason to choose it. If the box sits on an outside wall, you lift the lid from the yard and never step in the run. If it sits inside, you collect from within. Top vents and vinyl curtains handle airflow and darkness, and the 10 to 12 hen capacity maps neatly onto a typical backyard flock.
Where it falls short for you
Documentation and finishing quality. Expect to undo steps once during assembly, expect sharp edges, and expect to plan your mounting before you open the box rather than after.
8. Hen’s Choice 2-Compartment All-Galvanized Roll Away Nest Box: best for a box you can wash in under five minutes
Hen’s Choice™ – Reversible Roll Out Nest Box for Chickens | Roll Away Nest Box | 2 Compartment 21″ | Heavy Duty Galvanized
Fully galvanized, plastic-free
Reversible front or back roll-out
21 x 19 x 20 in
32 lb
Pros
- All-galvanized build with no paint to chip and no plastic to crack
- Washable nesting pad and removable bottom speed up cleaning
- Predator latch and no-show egg curtain target egg theft directly
- Hinged perch keeps nests empty overnight
Cons
- Heavier than plastic units
- Only two compartments so capacity is limited without a second unit
Every box in this roundup has one thing it does better than the others. This is the one that does cleaning best, and it does it because of what it is made of rather than a gimmick. The construction is fully galvanized with no plastic parts and no painted metal, which means no paint to flake, no plastic tray to crack, and a surface you can hose or scrub without worrying.
A commercial-quality washable nesting pad is included, which is unusual at this level, and the bottom of the collection area lifts out for fast washing. Owners describe a cleaning routine that takes less than five minutes, which is the difference between cleaning the nest weekly and not cleaning it at all.
The anti-theft hardware is unusually well thought through. A dual predator latch secures the unit, and a no-show egg curtain keeps collected eggs out of sight. A hinged wood perch lets you exclude hens overnight without blocking access to the lid, so the nest stays clean and the eggs stay protected. This box carries a 4.5 rating with 78 percent five-star reviews, which is the strongest consistency of any two-compartment unit in the roundup.
Compartment size is generous at 10.5 inches wide by 12 inches deep per nest, which comfortably suits larger breeds. Mount it reversibly to collect from the front or the back, and you have a box that works from either side of a wall.
Why it suits owners replacing mite-infested wooden boxes
That is the purchase scenario this unit is built for. Wooden nesting boxes are hard to scrub, hold mites in the seams, and get replaced reluctantly for years. A fully galvanized box with a removable washable bottom and no painted surface eliminates the crevices that make wooden boxes miserable. At 32 pounds it is heavy and stable, so it stays put.
Where it falls short for you
Two compartments only. That covers about six to eight hens at the advertised rate, so a flock of twelve or more means buying two units or accepting crowding. It also sits above the budget plastic options.
9. HenGear Medium Community-Style Roll Away Nest Box: best for flocks where hens squabble over nests
HenGear Nesting Boxes for Chickens, Roll Away Laying Boxes, Medium
G90 galvanized steel
Open community-style interior
34 x 19.5 x 20 in
33 lb
Pros
- 4.6 rating with 84 percent five-star reviews
- Stopped egg-eating and produced visibly cleaner eggs
- Open interior avoids crowding and fighting over preferred nests
- Pre-punched panels plus an assembly video make the build manageable
Cons
- Most expensive unit in the roundup
- Many panels to assemble so watch the video first
- Older hens with established habits may take weeks to switch
This box does something none of the others do, and it explains the design entirely: it has no dividers. The interior is one wide community-style space with a single opening. An r/homestead owner describing this design put it plainly: it is just one big opening, and the eggs roll away. That removes the competition over a favoured compartment, which is a genuine problem in divided boxes where one hen claims the best nest and the rest fight over the remainder.
The 4.6 rating is the highest in this roundup, with 84 percent of reviews at five stars. Owners treat it as an investment that paid for itself by ending egg theft, and several note their flock switched over within a week. The full-size nesting pad extends into the roll out tray itself, which keeps eggs clean at the exact point where most designs leave them exposed.
Build quality details matter here. Panels are precision-cut and pre-punched G90 galvanized steel, the roof is sloped, and the bottom is open for airflow and drainage. A hinged back lifts the roost bar or excludes hens overnight. Variants cover 20, 32, 50 and 75 hen flocks, so the range scales if you outgrow the medium unit.
The trade-offs are assembly and money. There are many panels, and owners consistently recommend watching the assembly video before starting rather than working from the written manual alone. It is also the highest outlay by a wide margin. Older hens with well-established laying spots can take weeks to move across.
Why it suits a flock where nest competition is causing pecking
If your hens crowd, argue or fight over particular compartments, the open interior solves it structurally rather than by adding more boxes. Add instead of dividing, and the flock shares. For a breeder or small farm operation where several birds lay close together and displacement stress is a real concern, that is worth more than another two inches of bay width.
Where it falls short for you
It is the wrong purchase if assembly time is your scarcest resource, and the wrong purchase for a handful of hens. Watch the video, set aside a proper afternoon, and expect your established layers to take a week or more to switch over.
10. HVDI 2-Compartment Snap-Together Roll Out Nest Box: best for first-time owners and quick builds
Roll Away Nesting Boxes for Chickens, 2 Compartment Chicken Nesting Box, Egg Collection Chicken Coop Nest Box (Large)
Tool-free snap-together panels
Gently sloped floor, front drawer
12.8 x 17 x 14 in
8 lb
Pros
- Large enough for bigger breeds
- Panels snap together in minutes with no tools
- Roll-away still works with a nesting mat fitted
- Includes dummy eggs and slotted fiber mats
Cons
- Plastic is thinner than expected
- One reviewer found a broken part on arrival
- Some flocks laid beside the boxes rather than in them
This is the one to reach for if you have never installed anything. Snap-together panel construction means no screws, no tools and no diagrams to argue with, and at 8 pounds it is the easiest unit here to reposition while you work out where your hens want it. The 4.6 rating comes from a small but entirely clean review base of 22, with no ratings below three stars.
The bays are larger than the price suggests, which is the main reason owners with big breeds are happy. Two independent compartments reduce competition between hens, and the two units can be combined horizontally or vertically and stacked indefinitely as the flock grows. Airflow vents and base drainage holes keep the interior dry.
Two things stand out and both are unusual in this category. The roll-away still works with a nesting mat fitted, which defeats the single most common complaint about metal boxes. And the box includes dummy eggs plus slotted fiber nesting mats, so hens have something to investigate from day one and something to grip that does not immediately get scratched out.
Why it suits a first flock and a renter-friendly setup
Pre-drilled back holes let you wall mount it or stand it on the floor while you test whether your hens take to it. Collection is a front drawer, so you can wipe it out in seconds. If you move housing or your flock outgrows two bays, you buy another identical unit and stack it rather than replacing what you have. That is a genuinely practical upgrade path.
Where it falls short for you
Plastic durability is the open question. Owners note the material feels thinner than expected and question its long-term life, particularly in summer heat. One reviewer also reported a broken part in the second box on arrival, so inspect the panels before you build.
How to Train Hens to Use a Roll Out Nesting Box?
Adoption refusal is the most common complaint about roll out boxes anywhere online, and three separate forum threads show the same pattern: hens ignore a newly installed box until it is moved. That is normal, it is temporary, and it is fixable. Here is the sequence that works.
Install it level and tight. A rocking or tilted box stops the roll, and the first thing a hen tries is the box that works. Mount it flush to structure with a slight forward tilt at the collection end.
Position it below and away from the roost bars. Hens prefer to nest low and in a corner. If your roosting area is above the box, install a guard board so droppings cannot fall onto the eggs.
Start with no bedding at all. This is the step people skip and then blame the box for. Leave the bay empty for the first week so the mechanism works and you can confirm the egg actually rolls.
Add bedding later, thinly. Once hens are laying regularly, add a light layer. Thick straw or deep shavings will stop the roll, so keep it sparse or use a slotted mat that lets the egg pass.
Place fake eggs in the nest. Several boxes in this roundup include a dummy egg. Put two or three in the bay, and if yours did not come with any, a cheap ceramic egg works. It settles the layers faster.
Move the box if nothing happens in a week. One owner reported hens would not touch a new box until it was relocated to fit the coop’s actual layout. Try a corner, then try a different corner.
Block the old nests. If hens keep laying in their familiar spot, remove the old bedding and make the old box less attractive, rather than adding more boxes and hoping.
Accept that mature hens take longer. Owners of the HenGear unit report established layers taking weeks to switch, while pullets adapted within hours. New birds adopt far faster than old ones.
Buying Guide: Sizing, Bedding, Material and Mounting
How many roll away nest boxes per hen do you need?
The baseline is one bay per three to four hens. Advertised capacity is almost always optimistic, and a Backyard Chickens owner running two 48-inch Best Nest Box units described the pattern precisely: they are supposed to take care of up to 45 hens, and 32 is about the comfort number. Plan on closer to two hens per bay for large breeds and one per bay for bantams and very nervous flocks.
Worked examples. Six hens need two bays comfortably and three without crowding. Twelve hens need three bays as a minimum and four if any of them are large breeds. Twenty hens need five bays and ideally six. Below twelve hens, extra boxes beyond that number do not hurt, because a nest a hen dislikes is a nest she will claim instead of sharing.
Do you put straw in a roll away nest box?
Not to start, and not thickly, ever. This is the question that trips up the most buyers. A roll out tray depends on the egg moving, and straw or deep shavings create friction that stops it. A Backyard Chickens member raised exactly this worry in the forum: if you put straw in them, they will not roll away.
The working compromise is a thin scattering during the first fortnight only, or a slotted nesting mat that lets the egg pass while giving the hen something to grip. Several products here ship with mats designed for exactly this, including the HVDI fiber mats and the Hen’s Choice washable pad, and the HenGear pad extends into the tray itself. Once the flock is laying steadily, many owners simply leave the bays close to empty, which is the only configuration that never fails.
Galvanized steel or plastic?
Galvanized steel wins on durability and predator resistance and loses on weight and handling. A Backyard Chickens member summarised the security concern plainly: predators and pests can chew through plastic and lift the lid. Bare galvanized steel, with no paint and no plastic parts, is the most resistant option and the easiest to wash, which is why the Hen’s Choice unit takes our cleaning pick despite a 32 pound weight.
Plastic wins on cost, lightness and no-drill installation. For a handful of hens in a secure run, plastic is entirely sufficient and far easier to move while you are experimenting with placement. One owner on the forums even solved a mite problem by dropping plastic tubs inside each wooden nest so broken eggs never stuck to the wood, which is a cheap version of the same idea.
Front collection or back collection?
Choose front collection when the box mounts on a wall you can reach from outside, which is the usual case for a run facing a yard. Choose back collection when the box must sit against the outer wall of a coop and you plan to collect from inside. A reversible mount removes the decision entirely and is worth paying for if you are unsure.
The practical constraint is the roost bar. Boxes must sit below roosting bars for hens to use them, and a reversible mount lets you keep the tray on the side with clearance once the roost is in place.
Roll out box or traditional wooden box?
A wooden box is cheaper, easier to build yourself and works fine if your hens do not break, dirty or eat eggs. Backyard Poultry readers have documented plenty of successful DIY rollaways built from an existing box with a short tray section and rubber strips stapled to the incline, so the mechanism is genuinely reproducible at home.
Buy a roll out box when you have any of these problems: dirty eggs, pecked eggs, egg eating, an inaccessible nest, or wooden boxes you cannot get clean. Replace them outright if mites are involved, because no amount of scrubbing makes a creviced wooden box feel fresh.
What about mounting height and position?
Mount below the roost, in a corner where hens can approach from the side, and tight to solid structure. Anything more than about two feet above the floor is fine, but the box must not rock. Several products here are backless by design and only feel solid against a wall, so if your surface is not wood or plywood, add a backing board first.
The Honest Downsides of Roll Out Nesting Boxes
Roll out boxes are a real improvement for most flocks and a poor fit for some. Here is what nobody on the retail pages tells you.
Hens may refuse them outright. This is the top complaint across every poultry forum we reviewed, and it is usually a placement or bedding problem rather than a bad box.
Bedding works against the mechanism. Deep straw or shavings stop eggs rolling, which defeats the entire point.
Capacity claims run high. Real-world comfort numbers sit closer to two hens per bay than to the advertised maximum.
Assembly is often poor. Mislabeled hardware, vague instructions and confusing diagrams appear on several of the metal units, and building them is a genuine project rather than a ten-minute job.
The roll only works when mounted correctly. A rocking box or a box on the coop floor will not move an egg, and the failure looks identical to a defective box.
Plastic units are not predator-proof. If you have raccoons, weasels or determined rodents, galvanized steel is the only sensible material.
Sharp edges exist. Several products in this roundup have metal edges that cut the installer and the hens. Check before the flock goes in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best roll away nesting box?
The Tiflev 4-Hole Double-Decker is the best overall roll away nesting box in this roundup. It carries a 4.3 rating across 141 reviews, the largest verified review base of the ten units in the roundup, and its double-decker layout fits four bays into a small footprint. For the fastest cleaning routine, the Hen’s Choice 2-Compartment all-galvanized unit takes a washable pad and a removable collection bottom.
Are roll away nesting boxes worth it?
Yes, if your hens break, dirty or eat eggs, and no, if your flock is two or three birds with no egg problems. A roll away tray removes broken eggs from the coop, which is the trigger for almost all egg-eating behaviour. Several owners in this roundup report a visible change in egg cleanliness within a day or two of installing. The main cost is the training period and possible assembly.
Do you put straw in a roll away nest box?
Not thickly, and not at the start. A roll away tray depends on the egg moving, and deep straw or shavings create enough friction to stop it. Start with the bay empty for the first week to confirm the egg rolls, then add a thin layer or a slotted nesting mat that lets the egg pass while still giving the hen something to grip.
How many nesting boxes should I have per hen?
Plan on one bay per three to four hens, and closer to two hens per bay for large breeds. Owners report that advertised capacity runs optimistic, with one long-running owner describing 32 hens as the comfort number for units advertised at up to 45. Six hens need two bays, twelve need three or four, and twenty need five or six.
What are the disadvantages of nest boxes?
The main disadvantages are hens refusing to use a new box, bedding that stops eggs from rolling, optimistic capacity claims, fiddly assembly, and the fact that a box which rocks or sits on the floor will not move an egg at all. Plastic units also allow predators to chew through the sides and lift the lid. All of these are manageable, but none of them are mentioned on retail pages.
Why won’t my hens use a roll out nesting box?
Check three things in order. First, the box must be mounted level and tight so it does not rock, because a rocking box stops the roll. Second, remove any bedding, since thick straw or shavings block the egg. Third, move the box, because hens often ignore a box that is not in the corner or at the height they prefer. Fake eggs in the bay speed this up considerably.
Final Verdict
The Tiflev 4-Hole Double-Decker is our pick for the best nesting boxes with roll out trays in 2026, because it combines the deepest owner feedback in the group with a layout that fits a small coop and suits large breeds. Choose the AugFir 2-Compartment if your run is secure and you want a plastic build you can move around freely, and choose the Hen’s Choice 2-Compartment if cleaning speed is what has driven you to replace wooden boxes. Mount whatever you buy level, leave the bays empty for the first week, and give the flock a fortnight before you judge it.