How high for nesting boxes?

[Ironmaiden]

HI Folks. Newbie here. We built nesting boxes about 4 feet off the ground. Is that too high? The chickens roost high up, but I'm a worry wort about it. Looked for posts but couldn't find any. Any imput would be helpful! Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

4 feet is not too high as long as the roosts are higher. Four feet up makes it a lot easier to gather the eggs without bending over and maybe hurting your back. You probably should give them a little assistance getting in though. Either a perch two or three feet above the coop floor, possibly a ramp up to the nests, or maybe a shelf in front of the nests for them to land on. Depends on what your coop looks like.

 

[Ironmaiden]

There is a shelf in front of the boxes, and I put a bale of hay on the floor in front. If they don't start going to them to lay I will put something they can leap up to them. My Grandma's were very high I remember... They haven't started laying yet...they are 17 weeks old. Trying to be patient.