How many nesting boxes per hen?

[phoenixmama]

I'm sure this question as been asked and answered a million times. Forgive me, I'm just learning the ropes here. So, if I go for individual next boxes, does each hen need her own? Does it work having an open area for nesting? Or do the individual boxes work best?

Thanks!

 

[sherrydeanne]

General rule of thumb: One box for every 4 hens, and round up

I have two for my 6 pullets.

 

[debilorrah]

The answer is - they do not need their own box. I have 6 nesting boxes for 16 hens and they all lay in the same two boxes. Go figure!!!

 

[conny63malies]

in her haydays my granny had 20 hens and 10 nestboxes, but those darn things always the same three.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Well, this is a learning experience!!! I thought each hen had her "own" specially chosen nest . . .the hen house we had didn't have nesting boxes, it was boards run as a V all the way down the one wall of the hen houses . . .and filled with straw, so they just set next to each other, so to speak, in an open situation. Glad someone asked! Is this because every hen does not lay every day?

 

[azrc]

I've got 7 boxes, 8 though I got lazy and didn't put up a partition, so ones a double and 5 currently laying hens.

Mine seem to have preferential spaces, but they move around a lot and it's mostly 3 slots that are used and some are fought over...or at least loudly complained over when one is in there and there are 6 other empty and available ones.

 

[apukanski]

I have 9 hens, I had 4 boxes and they laid in one box consistantly. When a box was taken out they still laid in the same box. We took out another box, they lay on the floor now. Currently we are working on that. I think they lay where they want to. LOL

 

[jullom]

We've had some problems with our chickens and have lost some but have that under control now...it has been about 2 1/2 weeks since we lost some and 4 weeks total since we've had them. ISA browns approx 1 yr old and were laying at their old home...we've got nothing yet...It doesn't appear there has been any time spent on the roosts yet either. new coop, used wood shavings in the coop and the nesting boxes. Any thoughts

 

[Kim_NC]

I allow one box per five hens.

 

[rebecca10782]

Well, today I found eight eggs in one box

So the answer is one