how many nesting boxes for 8 hens?

[SeattleChickenHead]

I plan on having 8 hens tops (thats the law here) how many nesting boxes do I need? I plan on getting RIRs, Jerseys and other heavy dual purpose layers.

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

2-3 the rule is 1 for every 4-5 laying hens.

 

[ray2310]

I would think 2would be enough. We have 6 with 20 hens and they only use 2-3 boxes.

 

[TrystInn]

In my experience, it doesn't really matter how many you give them - we gave ours 15 of them. They use 2 most of the time and alternate with a third.

 

[gryeyes]

Two nest boxes should be sufficient. They share. They will stand in a line outside an occupied nest box they like best, and bawk at the one inside to hurry up, while there is a perfectly good, empty one right next to it.

Silly birds.

The good thing about not having to put in lots of nest boxes is that you can use the coop space for other stuff, if they aren't "pop out" nest boxes. And they won't count against your total square foot of real estate inside the coop. (4 square feet per chicken.)

 

[Ohhhdear]

You don't need many nest boxes...2-4 should be just fine. I have 6 for my 12 hens, and sometimes there's an egg or two in each, but most often there's 5 eggs in one, 3 in another, 4 in a third and no eggs in all the rest. And it doesn't matter which nest box, either, it rotates and I can't figure out the pattern if any. Phases of the moon or that box had a bug in it to eat, or the alpha hen liked box # 3 the best today. Go figger.

 

[redturtle]

2 will work...but you could do 3

1 box for every 3-4 hens

 

[drdoolittle]

I have 4 for about 21 hens------but they really like to fuss at the barn cat until he gives up his bed (which is a small carrier with hay in it)!