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

[hannahsocal]

Makes sense! So nest boxes in the run though you’ve found to be okay?

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.

 

[BDutch]

Makes sense! So nest boxes in the run though you’ve found to be okay?

Yes the run is okay, because:

• The auto pop door to the run opens about 10 minutes after sunrise.
• The run is covered with strong netting (reasonably safe during daytime).
• Rats, jays and snakes don’t come in the run to steal eggs. One neighbour cat comes in the run sometimes when the chickens free range, and the run door is open. But she doesn’t steal eggs.

Normally the chickens prefer the two nest-boxes attached / hanging out from the little coop.

 

[JedJackson]

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

I'm on the west coast, too, but up north. It freezes here, and gets very windy, to the point where rain is blowing sideways. Plus different critters such as jays and squirrels can get to outdoor nest boxes and eat the eggs. But it does work for some people-- hit or miss, really.

 

[RubyLady]

My hens have only ever had the ones that are "outside" the coop but built on so they just laid there. They have to go inside the coop to get to them. The coop is only for sleeping otherwise as it's just a small coop that opens into a pen. We had some new pullets and they wanted to sleep in the nesting boxes so I closed them off at night. The one day I forgot to open one back up, the hens just found a nearby spot under a tree and laid their eggs there. They will lay whatever your set-up is. But I have found chickens like a comfy place where they feel safe from predators.

 

[PhenixJiRa]

I have a small coop with 3 nesting spots which the hens use all the time. In the summer I had to make adjustments because the coop was too hot for them. Because the coop is about a 2 1/2 feet above ground, I put a dog carrier and another tote under it and added straw. It took them a while to figure it out but eventually started laying there instead. In order to really get them used to it, I had to close the hatch to the coop and thus they had to use the new spots. They didn't mind at all but technically that isn't really outside because it's still inside the run... but it was more outside than inside due to no real walls around them.

As long as they are safe and feel safe, they will lay eggs where ever necessary.

 

[BDutch]

I have a small coop with 3 nesting spots which the hens use all the time. In the summer I had to make adjustments because the coop was too hot for them. Because the coop is about a 2 1/2 feet above ground, I put a dog carrier and another tote under it and added straw. It took them a while to figure it out but eventually started laying there instead. In order to really get them used to it, I had to close the hatch to the coop and thus they had to use the new spots. They didn't mind at all but technically that isn't really outside because it's still inside the run... but it was more outside than inside due to no real walls around them.

As long as they are safe and feel safe, they will lay eggs where ever necessary.

I had an issue with nesting boxes getting too hot too. I cut a piece from an old sunshade for a car and attached it on to the lid . The lid is hanging out outside the coop. The screen has a layer of aluminum foil on the outside.
The sunscreen keeps the extra heat out.

 

[hannahsocal]

I have a small coop with 3 nesting spots which the hens use all the time. In the summer I had to make adjustments because the coop was too hot for them. Because the coop is about a 2 1/2 feet above ground, I put a dog carrier and another tote under it and added straw. It took them a while to figure it out but eventually started laying there instead. In order to really get them used to it, I had to close the hatch to the coop and thus they had to use the new spots. They didn't mind at all but technically that isn't really outside because it's still inside the run... but it was more outside than inside due to no real walls around them.

As long as they are safe and feel safe, they will lay eggs where ever necessary.

Makes sense! And you didn’t have any issues with predators since the eggs were on the ground?

 

[KeepingDixie]

I consulted with the girls and they prefer privacy and security. In the early days (pre coop days) they preferred a cardboard box lined with soft rag towels in one of our dark closet spaces. Then as the build was completed with two insulated and attached nest boxes that were cantilevered to the frame of the hen house they eventually determined that they all preferred one of the two nest boxes. Dixie-Doo-Dah always wanted the nest box that Sweet Muffy was using, go figure. I understand that privacy and helping the girls feel secure is important because a stressed out hen has a harder time with laying.I also understand if you are going to have a door for access to the eggs, it's best to have the door tilt outwards from one end rather than having the roof lift up (hope that makes sense). The rational is that chickens are a prey animal and maybe startled when in the laying process if activity is occurring from above, such as a family member checking in or collecting eggs.

Best wishes,
Dix's mom

 

[PhenixJiRa]

Makes sense! And you didn’t have any issues with predators since the eggs were on the ground?

The dog carrier and tote were under the coop which is part of a run which has hardware cloth around the outside. I luckily have not had any predators on the ground that try to dig in. So they are protected the whole time even though the nests were on the ground.

 

[BDutch]

The dog carrier and tote were under the coop which is part of a run which has hardware cloth around the outside. I luckily have not had any predators on the ground that try to dig in. So they are protected the whole time even though the nests were on the ground.

Tip: make a slab with hwc or add pavement tiles around the coop to prevent digging predator’s to enter. Eg. fox, dog, marter, rat.