Where to put the nesting boxes?

[David885]

Hello again everyone!

I was just wondering how many nesting boxes and where to place them in my 120sqft chicken run. I have 8 young hens that will soon be reaching six months old. Should I attach them to the hen house or set them up separately?

There is not an abundance of space in the run (see photo), so keep that in mind.

 

[MyISAbrownhens]

Personally, I would attach them to the coop and have at least 4 nesting boxes (the rule of thumb is 1 nest box for every 2 hens)

 

[jthornton]

You only need one box 36" wide, 14" tall and at least 14" deep for 10 hens. They all want to use the same nest box so why bother making them fight. Commercial nest boxes are community type. Just make sure they are 1' or more below the roosts.

JT

 

[lazy gardener]

I would put them in the coop, not in the run. Unless your coop and run are one single unit, and the run is completely predator proof. That way, when you shut the birds into the coop at night, they have access to the nest boxes for those early morning eggs. My birds rarely lay early in the morning, but those boxes are always available. I would have at least 2 boxes, even if you have a community box. That way, any "shy girls" still have a place to lay even if the main box is taken up by the bullies.

 

[David885]

I would put them in the coop, not in the run. Unless your coop and run are one single unit, and the run is completely predator proof. That way, when you shut the birds into the coop at night, they have access to the nest boxes for those early morning eggs. My birds rarely lay early in the morning, but those boxes are always available. I would have at least 2 boxes, even if you have a community box. That way, any "shy girls" still have a place to lay even if the main box is taken up by the bullies.

Thank you for your advice!

The run is what I consider preadator proff (it keeps my wife’s “evil” dog out at least), but I like the idea of having the boxes attached to the coop and off the ground.

 

[David885]

You only need one box 36" wide, 14" tall and at least 14" deep for 10 hens. They all want to use the same nest box so why bother making them fight. Commercial nest boxes are community type. Just make sure they are 1' or more below the roosts.

JT

Good advice!
Do you think the boxes are something I can fabricate my self or is it easier to just use old milk crates, like some BYC users do? I did build the coop and run myself out of discounted “cull lumber” from Home Depot.

 

[David885]

You only need one box 36" wide, 14" tall and at least 14" deep for 10 hens. They all want to use the same nest box so why bother making them fight. Commercial nest boxes are community type. Just make sure they are 1' or more below the roosts.

JT

Great advice!

Any suggestions on what to build them from? I’m not a carpenter but I did fabricat the coop and run myself.

 

[jthornton]

Great advice!

Any suggestions on what to build them from? I’m not a carpenter but I did fabricate the coop and run myself.

Here are my plans for my Roll Out Nest Box Mk3. The top is tapered only to keep the chickens from roosting on it. If yours ends up under the roost a flat roof is the way to go.

I wrote an article on How to Cut Straight (with a circular saw), might be of some help.

JT

 

[David885]

Here are my plans for my Roll Out Nest Box Mk3. The top is tapered only to keep the chickens from roosting on it. If yours ends up under the roost a flat roof is the way to go.

I wrote an article on How to Cut Straight (with a circular saw), might be of some help.

JT

Thank you for the great article on how to make the straight cuts! I see so many awesome coop builds on BYC and I feel “out-gunned” with my hand tools.

I also like the I the plans you shared for the roll-out nest boxes. I’m going to try to fab one up tonight, and see how it comes out.

Thanks again for the awesome advice!