Do Chickens Prefer to Lay In Indoor or Outdoor Nest Boxes?

[hannahsocal]

The last one maybe but I’ve seen a ton of outside nest too! I’ll add additional photos

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you think building a separate “nesting box house” would be okay? Like a separate coop with no roosts, just nest boxes, away from the “sleeping coop”?

As long as you follow the two things noted above (climate protected, hens always have access) that should be fine.

 

[Yardmom]

Hens often need to lay early in the morning. If you have the nest in a different place than the sleeping quarters you may want them to have access to the nests by sunrise.

 

[BDutch]

Do you think building a separate “nesting box house” would be okay? Like a separate coop with no roosts, just nest boxes, away from the “sleeping coop”?

I have two small coops with a small covered run in between. one coop has two hanging nestboxes they can enter from the inside. Most chickens prefer to sleep in the larger coop area without nest boxes. In the larger run there is a third nest box. They have access to the larger run whole day through an automatic pop door that works on light. But the chickens rarely lay eggs there.

I would never make nestboxes outside the coop + run. Because the risk of predation is the highest early in the morning when the neighbourhood is still asleep. I always keep them inside the coops + a larger run at the start of the day.

My chickens don’t free range every day. Bc the risk of predation and I don’t like it if my chicken go far from their home. There is also a higher risk to get caught as free ranging is not allowed with hpai.

A few years ago I let the chickens free range more often. And in spring when their hormones are telling them to make a nest to hatch, they often made a nest somewhere outside the coop. On the compost pile, under the blackberry bushes outside the garden (municipality ground) , behind the shed (narrow spot) and in my neighbours garden.
I find that not convenient.

 

[JedJackson]

In cold climates I don't think outdoor nest boxes are ideal. Where will they lay when it is too cold to leave the coop? And who wants to collect frozen eggs? Hens are pretty amenable as long as the boxes are dry, private and easy to access. Of course they usually prefer to all lay in one nest box, but that's another subject.

 

[1cock2hens]

Regardless of where I put boxes mine want to lay in places like in a coldframe under a tarp, In an old busted trashcan, debris piles, decorative baskets on the poorch and In lumber piles lol even on top of the rabbit hutches

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

I have more outside than inside nest boxes. I place them in random places like on fence posts, under awnings, and under open barns. My chickens free range 24-7 and either roost in the trees or in a coop that stays open all night. Usually they don’t lay at daylight. They usually lay mid-late morning or early afternoon.

Preference seems to be individual to the hen. Generally chickens who roost in the open coop
lay in the coop and chickens that tree roost lay in the outside boxes. But they do regularly change it up.

 

[BDutch]

If I have a persistent broody, I take away the fake eggs in the inside nestboxes. This helps to stop their broodiness. The nestbox in the run gets a fake egg instead. It helps but …..

Downside of it is that some chickens start to lay on unexpected places. Especially if the chickens free range.

Hens do not always lay in the available nestboxes. Sometimes I just start missing eggs. Time for Easter egg search!
It’s possible that I find eggs under the roost, under a bush, on the compost pile, behind one of the trash cans, …

I certainly don’t like them to start a hidden nest outside for two reasons:
1 I don’t have a rooster. And the poor hen might breed endlessly or until I find her.
2 predators. A broody outside is an easy catch especially for nightly predators.

 

[hannahsocal]

So yours like to lay outside anyways haha! So interesting

Regardless of where I put boxes mine want to lay in places like in a coldframe under a tarp, In an old busted trashcan, debris piles, decorative baskets on the poorch and In lumber piles lol even on top of the rabbit hutches

 

[hannahsocal]

In cold climates I don't think outdoor nest boxes are ideal. Where will they lay when it is too cold to leave the coop? And who wants to collect frozen eggs? Hens are pretty amenable as long as the boxes are dry, private and easy to access. Of course they usually prefer to all lay in one nest box, but that's another subject.

I’m on the west coast where we don’t have snow, so the frozen eggs are thankfully something I don’t have to deal with. Space is more limited though which is why I’m looking for nest box location ideas