how many nest boxes

[urbanhomesteader]

Hi,
I am buildning my chicken tractor and I will have four Maran hens in it. How many nest boxes do I need? I seem to recall reading one box for every four chickens but can't seem to find my chicken books to verify.


Thanks,
Rachel

 

[bigzio]

Rachel, good memory 4 hens for each nest is correct.

bigzio

 

[HenHappy]

I guess I've overdone it...I have five nestboxes and four chickens! I like to give them choices and I have the room. Still they only hang out in two of them. Every once and a while I find a lone egg in another one and I figured that the fav box was occupied. Guess this means I need more chickens rite? (everyone say yes!!!)

 

[urbanhomesteader]

Thanks I am glad as my space is limited.

HenHappy you definitly need more chickens.

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

I had 18 chickens and 5 nesting boxes 4 in the hen house and 1 in the workshop where my dogs stay. I currently have 8 chickens. For some reason my RR’s like to lay together in one box and the brown and white leghorn like to lay their eggs together on top, some nest seem to get an occasional egg and then the dogs house nest seems to be popular to some of them. Can't firgue them out, at least they lay them where I can find them?

 

[justusnak]

HenHappy.....if you have the room...then DEFINATELY YES!!

My motto....More IS better!

 

[panner123]

I have 8 nest boxes & 16 hens, they only use 2 of the boxes. About every other week they will change boxes. Can't figure out why. At first I thought maybe the straw was dirty, so I changed the straw twice a week. Still they changed boxes.