Rollaway Nesting Box, Please Help!

[Baumbergerflock]

Hello all! First time chicken mom here, still learning everyday. My girls are going on 4 months old and I know they will be gearing up to lay soon, so I am working on the nest boxes this week. We inherited a chicken coop, that has a 2 layered, big metal communal rollaway nesting box mounted on one wall. I have a few questions, and I'm hoping someone can help me. We have 12 hens. The box interior measures about 4ft 10in wide.This nesting box has no dividers, is that a problem? It used to have curtains, but they were torn and removed, do I need to put up new ones? The bottom of the boxes are literally a large removable, slanted, metal mesh tray. It seems like it would be so uncomfortable compared to all the boxes I see with bedding or hay in them. Do I need to put something down over the metal grates? Do I need bedding or mats and if I do put something down will it render the "rollaway" function useless? I'd rather have the girls learn to use the boxes when ready, than lay in the hay on the coop floor. How do I make it appealing, or do they not care? I have no clue what I'm doing with this nesting box. Help please! *Attached (terrible) photo of nesting box before the coop was rehabbed and cleaned. You can see at least that it's just open, no dividers and the style.

 

[aart]

You can add bedding for now.
If you need the roll away to function slowly remove the bedding.

Many folks use large community nests successfully.
I prefer divided nests, but not sure if you need to or can add dividers.

 

[Baumbergerflock]

Im not sure if I need the rollaway function or not, its just what was in this coop when we got it, so I figured I would use it instead of making/building/buying new nesting boxes. I've just seen a LOT of the divided, heavy bedded nesting boxes, and had no clue where to go with this massive nesting box and if the girls will even be interested. Maybe after they start laying, I'll have more of an idea of thier needs or preference. I'm just trying to get a head start, (I'm a planner). Thank you for your reply!

 

[Coops Dad]

Communal laying is a thing, apparently. I have a 6-place nesting box with dividers and everything but have found three hens crammed into one box on many occasions, and two hens in one box as a daily thing. Privacy means something else to poultry.