12X12X12 nestboxes? What size is good?

[Wolf-Kim]

So I am remodeling my chicken coop and I am replacing the "shelf" with actual nestboxes.

I've looked up some nestboxes, and the websites state that 12"x12"x12" is "adequate" but some to make them larger.

Since I am trying to save as much space as possible in my coop, does 12"x12"x12" work for anybody else? I've seen the premade metal nestboxes and they seemed pretty small, but, hey, they work!

So, does 12"x12"x12" work without any major issues?

Thanks
-Kim

 

[Chick_a_dee]

I have 16x16" nest boxes because the hens pile up in them, I have four of them for 15 hens and at least two use them at a time...once I saw four stuffed into one of them.

 

[pattyjean73]

Have you thought about a community nest box?

I don't know what works or what doesn't. This is my first time with chickens.

I'm going the community route for now. Will change later if it doesn't work.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

My coop is 10'X6' and my current "nestbox" is a "shelf" that the previous chicken keeper used. It comes off the wall about 18" and runs all down the 10' side and then does a 90 degree turn and goes all the way down the 6' side. This "shelf" is 3' off the ground. As you can imagine, this "nestbox" takes up a ton of room.

On top of all that wasted space, it is VERY ineffective. It has a 3" lip to keep the bedding in, but as you can imagine they enjoy sleeping on the "shelf" which leads to a mess AND during the day they enjoy throwing all the bedding out.

*sigh* Chickens..

-Kim

 

[speckledhen]

The reason I like larger nestboxes is that they have more airflow in summer.

 

[LynneP]

Ours are 15"x15"x15" and three hens can pile in there- they have 6 boxes and use 2-3 a day. I have no idea why, expect that someone starts laying in one and the others line up...

 

[Judy]

I'm going to try community, too. I don't like them as small as 12" cubes. And yes, it is very common for them to pile into one together.

What kind of chickens? Banties, heavy breeds, what? There is a lot of size difference.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know of any significant issues with 12" x 12" nesting boxes. A dorking can easily fit in there. I made mine bigger (16" x 16") as they do like to lay together and maybe they are less likely to break eggs due to crowding with the bigger box. I did not think of air flow as Speckledhen did in Georgia, but the bottoms of mine are hardware cloth anyway. I read that hardware cloth gives a little and eggs are less likely to break, although you still need nesting material. I'm not sure I buy into the softer part, but I figured they would stay cleaner.

You might consider making them stick out from the wall 12" but make them a little wider. If you get them too wide, though, they become "community" boxes and then you may need two separate openings. I'd think a 12" x 16" might work well.

Good luck!!

 

[R@ndy]

Myself I make them 12" wide and 18 deep and 12 high and they seem to work good

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I gave the community nestboxes some thought. They would be easier to make and cost less since they require less wood and cutting, since you just take out all those dividers.

Thanks everyone.

-Kim