Can chickens share nesting boxes?

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foxypoproxy

foxypoproxy

Songster
8 Years
Aug 2, 2011
828
9
111
Madison, CT
I was looking a nesting boxes online (though we will probably make are own)

I stumbled upon this which kinda confused me: http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Nesting-Boxes/Triplex-Nesting-Box-p423.aspx

I thought it was always 1 chicken per nesting box. I assumed they want there "own" space for laying eggs and stuff. But it says this triple box can fit 10-12 chickens .....how?
Would that many chickens really like the be laying eggs and having chicks that close to each other?
I know ive had a few hens that huddled together but you can't always assume they would get along and not be territorial about the box.
So is this really a realistic estimate of how many chickens can fit there?
 
Chickens won't all be laying at the same time so the 3 box set up is fine for 12 birds. That's how many I have for a dozen birds. They may even only choose to lay in one or two as well.
 
Quote:
oOoo lol your right XD for some reason i assumed they would all be broody in there at the same time idk what i was thinking >_>

Would they be fighting to sleep in there though?
 
Your goal is to have them not sleep in there, just laying eggs. If you have a roost set up higher than the boxes then they should stay out of the boxes at night.
 
There's a big difference between laying eggs and brooding a clutch. Broody hens need their own nest site where other hens can not add eggs or bother them. Sometimes multiple hens can brood the same nest, but usually they spend too much time trying to steal one another's eggs. This can result in cracked or broken eggs.
 
Quote:
so if a chicken goes broody and i want it to hatch chicks should i make another pen or area for it and move it in there?
will moving it stop it from being broody?
sorry if these are very noob like questions, i just want to make sure i have everything they will need.
 
I provide multiple boxes for my hens. I want them to lay when they need to.Here's a pe
63768_babys_in_nest_boxs_002.jpg
rfect example !!!!
 
my birds have always picked a "favorite" box. Even though there are 2 other empty next boxes, all filled with the same nesting material, they will wait in line for their favorite box to open up.
 

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