? about nests

[dadsgirl]

i have about 6-8 hens in each coop, how many nesting boxes should be in each coop??

also what is the best bedding material for nesting boxes??

thanks, angie

 

[Chicken Woman]

You should have 1 nest box to every four or five hens. Probably 2 in each coop. Some people use straw. I use a rubber shelf liner that you can by by the rollto help cushion eggs. My girls tend to dig around in shavings until there is a bare spot in the middle and the rubber shelf liner is a nice cushion. Then I use pine shavings.

 

[davidb]

one nest for every 3 to 4 hens should be plenty

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Good gosh! One nest box. They all want to use the same one anyhow!

Just kidding!
I have one nest box for every 4 hens but they don't use them. Of the 35 hens that are presently laying they only use 2! I swear, it looks like the line in front of the girl's bathroom! They all stand around in front of the favored boxes, doing their nails, gossiping about the boys or the girl's that aren't laying and refuse to look at any other space to lay. Except on the floor. Every once in a while some lady just plops one right out, looks around at it and says, "Uh, excuse me, I guess I am done here." And she will march her hinney right back out to graze some more. It doesn't matter how nice you make them, they all want that one.

 

[Chicken Woman]

I agree with that I have 11 girls in the hen house right now that are laying. I use to have 6 nest boxes but they used one ! Yes ONE! So I now have 3 to make more room for them and now they use ONE sometimes two . My boxes are oretty big so many times a couple will get in the same box at the same time and that way they can visit while doing there job.

 

[Chirpy]

Yup, the general rule of thumb is 1 nest box for every four hens. And, they usually have their favorite so they may not even go into some of the nest boxes.

I like pine shavings for my nest boxes, I put lino cut to fit, on the floor with shavings over it. Makes it very easy to keep clean. I keep a little 6" garden trowel next to the nests and just scoop out any poop or such that might get in there.

 

[Schroeder]

If I have both Bantams and Standards in the same coop, must I have a smaller nestbox for the bantams or will they use the 12 x 12 boxes?

 

[Chicken Woman]

They will use those. I have both standard and bantam. They use same boxes and mine are 16 by 20