Do hens really need their own personal nesting boxes?

[gumpsgirl]

I am a proud, new owner to 12 Rhode Island Reds

and am wondering if each hen as to have her own nesting box? My sister swears up and down that they do, but I don't remember my great-grandpa's chickens having their very own. His chicken coup and house was kinda like a community chicken coup. Thanks!

 

[GreggsEggs]

No each hen does not need its own nest..... they will share with out any trouble.

A good number of nests is one(1) for every five(5) hens.

So you would be safe with three(3) nests for your 12 hens.

 

[Katy]

I have a ten hole metal nest box and they usually only use one nest!!!!

 

[Gracie_Chickie]

We have 12 hens. I purchased a 4 nest nest box from Egg cartons.com and have 2 milk crates. They all want to use a certain milk crate. I have had a few random eggs in the nest boxes, but that is probably because someone was taking too long to lay her egg.
They remind me of a line of ladies waiting to use the restroom. They stand there waiting and sometimes scolding the poor hen in the box, to hurry, hurry, hurry!! I gotta lay!!

 

[roadislandgrey]

I have 5 hens, and 3 nest boxes, they always use only one. Once in a while there will be one to two eggs in the other. I have one that they never use.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

You can't make a hen have her own personal box, she'd rather go where some other hen is, or has already been!