Do chickens need a bin or just a place to lay.

[baemiller]

I am first time chicken owner and I still have chicks I am getting a start on my coop and was looking at different styles but was wondering do chickens need those bins to lay or just an area where they all go and lay?
I was under the impression it had to be 2 chickens to a bin with hay in each bin and your coop needs to have the bins seperate (not disconnected) from the run.
Please I know alot of you are so experience and this seems elementary but I want to do what's best but as what's easiest for me.

Thanks for any and all responses.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You want the nest boxes nice and dark so as to help prevent egg eating. Communal nest boxes are not good generally, due to eggs getting crushed and so on. Some do have them though and like them.

I personally use covered kitty litter pans and put sand in there, which is nice if they poo in there I just scoop it out (wear N95 mask when sifting sand with kitty litter scoop).

Fake eggs or golf balls are good to put in there too.

 

[BonRae67]

It is best to have nesting boxes/bins. They like privacy when they are laying. They need to be in the coop or attached to the coop, no do not put them in the run area. 1 box per 2 chickens would be fine. I have 6 boxes for about 25 hens they do fine with that. They all seem to lay in the same couple of boxes they don't use all 6. Good luck on the building of your coop.

 

[baemiller]

So if I have 9 chicks (1 died) is 4 bins sufficient?

It is best to have nesting boxes/bins. They like privacy when they are laying. They need to be in the coop or attached to the coop, no do not put them in the run area. 1 box per 2 chickens would be fine. I have 6 boxes for about 25 hens they do fine with that. They all seem to lay in the same couple of boxes they don't use all 6. Good luck on the building of your coop.

 

[BonRae67]

Yes that would be fine. Like I said my bunch use the same boxes all the time. When I go get the eggs, I will find 6 eggs in the same box.