Does a nesting box not have to be divided?

[AmsoilJim]

I was looking to build some new nesting boxes for my new coop. my current coop has a nesting area that is 5 feet long divided into 5 one foot spaces.
I was looking at roll aways and seen this one.

Its 4 feet long with no dividers
seen here

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Dividers are not required, no, folks have their personal preferences for whether they have them or not, but there is no reason one "has" to be used over the other.

 

[SueT]

My 12" divided wooden nest boxes lost favor after I also provided a big wicker laundry basket. So I removed the divider between the nests, making it 24" wide, and added a somewhat closed in front to provide privacy. I named it the Royal Suite for extra incentive. They love it...and 2 have even gone in together! My conclusion is that they prefer a wider nest. At least mine seem to...

 

[Embalmergirl]

My hens are always trying to squish into one nesting box. Brilliant idea to take the divider out & make a large one.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

They all want to use the same one anyway! LOL (5 hens)

 

[AmsoilJim]

I was wondering if they would go in together because I have notices with the chickens I have laying now, even though there is 5 nesting boxes, all 5 chickens will only lay in 1 or 2 of them... they will literally wait for one to lay and leave then the next one hops into that box and takes it turn. Some times they wait so long they just lay their egg on the coop floor.

 

[AmsoilJim]

View attachment 1137557
They all want to use the same one anyway! LOL (5 hens)

yes, mine all want to use the same one too

 

[lazy gardener]

I have 6 boxes in a 3 over 3 configuration. And I have a broody cage that has a wooden crate, as well as lots of hay in the area outside the crate. They love the broody cage. I think I might be inclined to take out the dividers and give them a nice thick layer of hay, and let them sculpt their own nests in a community nest box.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I made a roll out 3' wide with 2 round holes with curtains in the front, no dividers and no nesting material at all. Just a very dense commercial carpet so the eggs roll out and every one lays in the box. I have seen 3 in at the same time but all 7 likely could fit if they wanted to. To make it a roll out I just sloped the floor and put a divider lengthwise about 8" from the back off the floor of box 3" for the eggs to roll under. I collect through a door outside the coop.

Gary

 

[rosemarythyme]

My nest box is about 14x24. There was no way to put a divider in it but the chickens don't seem to mind, I do sometimes get 2 hens laying side by side