Chickens to nesting boxes ratio

[leslielbk]

How cute is your setup! The two boxes are plenty. I've had mine all stacked up in one. I have 10 layers presently and they all like one nesting box. So I just took down the extras so they have a choice of two boxes and like I said they all lay in one. I have mostly heavy breeds and those big girls like to lay in a small space. So glad I spent hours and hours building five big boxes lol. I took the rest apart so now they have two but like I said, they all like to lay in one. Sigh.

 

[writerskramp]

I know the recommendations are something like 3-5 hens per box, and that they tend to have favorite boxes and will all lay there even if you give them lots of extras... And at 2 boxes for 5 pullets, I should be fine... but I’m starting to wonder if I might need to add more. Two of my pullets started laying a few weeks ago, and when they do, it’s a big deal. It’s a flock-wide event and they all gather to watch the layer and cheer her on. The two layers like to lay at the same time, taking up both nests, and the rest stand in front of them and look on, providing commentary along the way. So what happens when all 5 start laying? Will they all be crammed in there on top of each other? The size of the boxes is as recommended - 12x12 inches and about 18” tall... I don’t know how many chickens will fit in each. Do I need to add more boxes? Or will the chickens wait their turn?

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Have somewhere between 30 - 35 chickens.. Thanks to a recent addition of 5 healthier then pened chickens I have ever seen.. family.. Wouldn't except chickens from strangers... Have actually removed all nest from the floor. Due to riotous Jersey Giants, a recent addition. Now down to maybe 9 on the wall.. Chickens tend to lay in the same box no matter how many you have. Once I used old wooden fruit crates which made fine double nests.. Now I use old plastic milk crates.. Tacked to the wall.. slightly off the ground. Just cut out the front a little to allow entrance and hold in the shavings too eggs.. even a couple of those fancy dancy things you buy at the farm store.. Even five gallon bucket stabilized and laid on the floor, which they seemed to enjoy.. They prefer the milk crates..

 

[goldenyears]

I know the recommendations are something like 3-5 hens per box, and that they tend to have favorite boxes and will all lay there even if you give them lots of extras... And at 2 boxes for 5 pullets, I should be fine... but I’m starting to wonder if I might need to add more. Two of my pullets started laying a few weeks ago, and when they do, it’s a big deal. It’s a flock-wide event and they all gather to watch the layer and cheer her on. The two layers like to lay at the same time, taking up both nests, and the rest stand in front of them and look on, providing commentary along the way. So what happens when all 5 start laying? Will they all be crammed in there on top of each other? The size of the boxes is as recommended - 12x12 inches and about 18” tall... I don’t know how many chickens will fit in each. Do I need to add more boxes? Or will the chickens wait their turn?

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I have 16 hens and they almost exclusively use the same nest box. Sometimes there’ll be two hens in the box together while the other boxes are empty. It’s been probably three months since I’ve gotten an egg from other nest boxes.

 

[Malamute1]

First you need to understand chickens are silly and entertaining. They always want what the others have! I have 9 hens & 3 boxes. 90% of the time they all use the same box. If 1 is in the box, there May be 1 in the coop doorway, and 1 on a roost in the run waiting for their turn and squabbling for the layer to hurry up. When they're done laying they also stand in the door or coop roost and tell everyone they laid an egg. I would think 2 boxes should be fine. I've never had more than 2 laying at the same time. Enjoy and have fun!

 

[Malamute1]

My coop came with 2 perches right above the bedding. We added 3 higher up. Plenty of room for all. My 2 Ameracauna sleep together in a nest box and have since all were pullets. Lol

 

[Cave Creek Chicken Mama]

OMG cute, cute, cute! The box, the stump step, the Curtains, the chicken picture on the wall! Painted fun colors! Wow! It almost looks like a thermostat near the door, but I'm guessing it is an automatic door opener! This is one cute chicken coop!!

 

[K0k0shka]

For the past few years, I've had about 60 laying hens of various ages. We have 4 sets of 3 nest boxes, stacked. They alternate. We'll get a dozen on one box, 3-7 in 4 boxes and 1 or nothing in the rest. 3 months later, the box that had large amounts of eggs would completely switch to the opposite wall box. I've upped to 90 hens, so we'll probably add another 2-4 boxes, but they really like to lay in the same or nearby spots. It's nature. In the wild, the hens need to lay in the same spot. That way, when a hen goes broody, she'll have a decent size clutch to sit on, while the other hens move on to a new spot.

Wow, they really do like to pile the eggs up don't they! Thanks.

 

[K0k0shka]

I have 4 boxes and 3 girls. They all lay in one box and wait their turn. They sleep in the other 3 boxes up until this week. Not sure what’s upset their routine, but now they lay their eggs in two of the four boxes and sleep on top off the roof of their box at night. Not sure why they are sleeping on their roof instead of inside where it’s warm like they have been all this time. But they are weird so who knows

Why are they sleeping in/on the nesting boxes? Don't they have a roost?

 

[K0k0shka]

OMG cute, cute, cute! The box, the stump step, the Curtains, the chicken picture on the wall! Painted fun colors! Wow! It almost looks like a thermostat near the door, but I'm guessing it is an automatic door opener! This is one cute chicken coop!!

Aww thank you! I had a lot of fun building it. My kids drew pictures for the chickens and I framed them and hung them on the wall. That's a remote display thermometer by the door (this is the coop unit, and the home unit is in our kitchen where I can monitor the temperature in the coop remotely). They also have an automatic door and a couple of cameras in there as well. Fancy chickens!

Here are some more pictures of the coop - better angles and in color:

And on the outside:

 

[592784]

Why are they sleeping in/on the nesting boxes? Don't they have a roost?

They do have a roost which they sit on before they go to bed. But lately when I go out before my bed time to check on them they are roosting on the roof of their nesting box. They use to sleep in their boxes.