Building Laying Boxes, Need Size Help.

[UrbanScratch]

I am building three laying boxes. What is the desired size on boxes? I have RIR's. Thanks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Most people use 12X12X12. Mine are a little bigger and tall enough for the chicken to stand. Mine are between 14 and 16". I have a lot of different size birds. Occasionally there will be 2 birds in the same nest at the same time.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You’ll find we do all sort of things as far as nesting boxes. It’s not a question of right or wrong, just a case of what we do.

A general rule of thumb is that they need to be at least 12” wide X 12” deep with an inside height of at least 12” for full-sized fowl, which is what you have. You’ll see photos of people using things that are not that big. You’ll see a lot that are a lot bigger, even going to “community” nesting boxes. I personally went with 16” x 16” x 16” which works well.

Not knowing anything about what you are doing, make then at least 12” in each dimension, with bigger not a problem.

 

[Ridgerunner]

ChickenCanoe, I often have three full-sized hens in one of my 16" cubes with a fourth pacing outside to wait her turn. That's with empty nests available. That's why I went with the larger nests than the minimum. I knew they sometimes liked to lay together.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Mine are 14 x 14 in dimension but are 16 tall so they can stand.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This may be off-topic a bit, but I just got back from the coop. I have 11 hens laying age and three nest boxes. Each nest had two hens in it. I’ve never seen that before.

Two in one, yeah that happens a lot. Three in one, not that unusual. But two in each of the three, that’s a first.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

cool
It just goes to show.
If you think something is unusual, it probably isn't.