Am I the only one?

[kuntrygirl]

Who's nesting boxes are NOT in the same area where the hen's roost?

I noticed that 99.9% of BYC chicken owners have the nesting boxes and roosts in the same chicken coop/chicken house/chicken area. My girls roost in several different chicken houses/coops/stalls but they go somewhere else to lay their eggs. The chicken shed is merely steps away from the chicken shed/nesting boxes. Do you think that this is more difficult for the newbies to learn since everything is not in one area?

Anyone else have their nesting boxes in another location?


Pics of 3 different places that they roost. Didn't have pics of the other 2 coops to post.

Pic of the chicken shed where they go to lay eggs.

 

[heather112588]

I just had to comment: You have a beautiful coop and set up! those spoiled ladys...

 

[Judy]

Hey, that's a beautiful setup, and if it works for you, I sure wouldn't worry about it.

I suspect they teach each other where to lay.

And lots of folks on here have only one coop, so nowhere else to put nests.

 

[Tala]

Mine have a small doghouse to lay in, it's in their pen, as is their roost, but it's not inside a coop per se

Who cares? Whatever works!

 

[spartacus_63]

If your birds think it is OK, then it must be. I have nice comfy nest boxes in the coop, and some of my girls still go elsewhere to lay their eggs.

 

[Cavendish Chickens]

That's a great looking set up!

 

[Illia]

Nice set-up!

Nope, not the only one. I have a whole room/building for roosting, a whole room/building for nesting, another one for the cock(erel)s, and another one for the Gamefowl. (who have their nests and roosts in the same building)

 

[BWKatz]

Beautiful set up. My chickens usually lay in corner of their doghouse coop in am but later in day they use the covered kitty litter nest in their pen. They don't have access to coop during day.

 

[gryeyes]

I have SEVERAL coops or coop facsimiles, and the girls (pullets) lay eggs in various different coops, as if they are testing which are best. The ladies (hens) have regular nests in two different coops, one of which they sleep/roost in, and one in which nobody sleeps or roosts. That's the A-Frame coop, the first I built. Everybody hangs out downstairs at different times, but some of the hens go upstairs and lay eggs in the nest boxes there. One of 'em went broody earlier this year in one of those nests, and hatched a single chick. It was a great place for her "confinement" and for raising the chick without a lot of traffic.

Nobody lays eggs in inappropriate spots, unless they are brand new to laying and either don't know where to lay an egg, or can't make it to the right spot before it comes.

Oh, and the duck lays her eggs anywhere at all on the ground. Sometimes she makes a little nest place, sometimes not.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thanks for all of the compliments everyone. Those gals and guys are really spoiled rotten. I have always felt that my set up was built wrong because of the different locations but you all have given me the confidence and support in knowing that "if it works" then it's alright. Thanks for that.

This weekend I will be working on decorating the inside of the nesting box area with wallpaper border, pictures, mirrors, etc. It's going to be like a day spa area. I'm so excited. The girls will be so suprised when they see the "make-over". I found a lot of decor at Tractor Supply that was 30% off. Some items were as little as $2.00. I"m kinda frugal, so I don't like to spend much money. I get a lot of FREE things from Craigslist and my local Freecycle group. I'm a huge "free-cycler".