Does this mean i need more boxes??

[Hedgeland Farms]

Hey everyone! My girls are laying on top of each other!!! Like legit sitting in the same box and laying at the same time...
I have 19 girls 4 boxes. Likely wouldn't hurt to add another huh?or is this just what they do?

Ps. Thankful that they are least keeping all the eggs in the boxes

 

[Itisleah]

I have 30 ladies and they all lay in same box even tho I have 12 boxes.

 

[ValarieF]

Hey everyone! My girls are laying on top of each other!!! Like legit sitting in the same box and laying at the same time...
I have 19 girls 4 boxes. Likely wouldn't hurt to add another huh?or is this just what they do?

Ps. Thankful that they are least keeping all the eggs in the boxes

It's just what they do. You can have 10 boxes and they will pick one and all lay in it.

 

[K0k0shka]

Chickens are communal animals and have an instinct to want to lay together, sit together and raise their chicks together. So they want to lay where others are already laying (or have laid), which results in one box being the favorite and the others being ignored. If you read people's accounts from around the forum, of chicken laying behaviors, you'll see that the chickens tend to pick one or two favorite boxes and only lay there regardless of how many you give them. So adding more won't help, they'll still want the one that somebody else is in. As long as they aren't breaking the eggs, there's no problem with that.

 

[SueT]

They might all want the same box anyway! But it wouldn’t hurt to try. My hens have cycled thru various favorites. But they really love plastic milk crates for some reason. I take some of the days’ eggs and put them in the new box(es) to tempt them….

 

[samanthaoverton]

Side note..love your blue heeler pup. What a doll. I have one myself.

Someone told me 1 box per 3 chickens!

 

[sammi_lynn12]

Side note..love your blue heeler pup. What a doll. I have one myself.

Thanks! Best dog I have ever had!

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

They use all 4 boxes. I heard the typical is one box every 4-5 birds. If it's what they do ill just let then do it bahahaha.... they aren't breaking eggs at all so I guess it's all good!

 

[adstowe]

It IS what they do, but if they're using all 4 you might want to try adding 1 or 2. I wouldnt run out and build/buy new ones, but a milk crate or even a cardboard box sitting in the corner may take some of the pressure off. They may all decide they want to use the cardboard box. Never try and figure out what a chicken will do.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

It IS what they do, but if they're using all 4 you might want to try adding 1 or 2. I wouldnt run out and build/buy new ones, but a milk crate or even a cardboard box sitting in the corner may take some of the pressure off. They may all decide they want to use the cardboard box. Never try and figure out what a chicken will do.

I am figuring on adding an old dog house (3'x3') to the run with bedding in it. I am gonna cut out the back so it has two openings, and it'll be easier to get eggs, but this will give them another option if they wish to use it. Otherwise itll a fun place to hang out!

ETA it will likely also double a a broody space (with modifications) for when we let once stay broody!