Nest idea, leave long or divide?

[Dyran]

This is the first time I have posted here. I would like to thank everyone for all that you do on this site. I have learned a lot and continue to learn daily.

I am currently building my chicken coop and am nearing completion. I am about to build my nests and install them. They will be external to keep more floor room inside. My question is this, the material I am using will cause my nest box to be 3' long. Should I divide the nests into 18" nest or should I leave it a full 3' long? Also I am stacking nests 2 high, how high should the first box be off the ground?

Thank you all.

 

[justplainbatty]

This is the first time I have posted here. I would like to thank everyone for all that you do on this site. I have learned a lot and continue to learn daily.

I am currently building my chicken coop and am nearing completion. I am about to build my nests and install them. They will be external to keep more floor room inside. My question is this, the material I am using will cause my nest box to be 3' long. Should I divide the nests into 18" nest or should I leave it a full 3' long? Also I am stacking nests 2 high, how high should the first box be off the ground?

Thank you all.

Welcome to our flock!

I have two 6ft rows of nest boxes. One at 3 ft the other at 4.5 ft. They were originally left long but the hens did not like it. They fought over prime real-estate and broke eggs. I divided the two rows into 3 boxes each with 8 inch dividers. They like their own space and privacy. Some boxes are used by many and one is not used often but it all works well.

Actually, you can kinda see it in my avitar

 

[PapaChaz]

I recommend dividing them. They seem to like a smaller area to snuggle into. I don't know if it's for privacy

or a natural instinct to try to hide the eggs from predators, but they do like a nice small but comfy place to lay

 

[ECBW]

When the egg starts to push, mama will lay wherever she is. But given free choice, snuggy nest wins. Experimented with both.