I know this is a stupid question

[Birdman]

Sorry for even asking it but I can't find the answer anywhere else. Does more than one chicken share a nestbox? If so, how many chickens per box? Thanks for any replies.

 

[chicks rule]

Yes they will but not always at the same time, one person on here said she has 12 nest boxes and all her hens use one, lol So guess it will depend on your hens. Probably one nest box per 3/4 hens is the norm???

You might try doing a search put in nest boxes??? HTH

 

[lurky]

The guy who gave me the eggs in my incubator had 7 or 8 boxes and the hens all used 2 of them. Then a broody hen began sittin on eggs in one of them and the eggs were from all the different birds. kinda neat to get an assortment. A white leghorn sat and hatched them and at least 3 were ameraucanas.

 

[sara]

I think I had read somewhere 5 hens per box, but all my hens seem to use the same box.

 

[Birdman]

Ok thanks for the information, do the dimensions 18" at the front, 28" at the back, 12" deep, and 14" wide sound right? That's what I read but I just wanted to be sure we were on the same page.

 

[lurky]

I think that sounds ok, hubby did mine so i am not sure, but check the coops and designs to see and also the EZ board forum has alot of coop stuff in the coops and designs thread. It does not even have to be perfect so dont worry too much.....when they need it i bet they will use whatever you make em.

 

[wendy]

Quote:
we have 9 chickens and three nesting boxes. they only seem to use two, a few times i found some eggs in the third

on the dimensions, i have a book on raising a small flock"Hobby Farms Chickens, tending a small scale flock for pleasure and profit by Sue Weaver. in the book she has you can build or use things readily available. for example milk crates, five gallon buckets (you would have to cut out a place for them to get in and out easy)
but our nesting boxes are milk crates. we already had them, so we tried it. it is working great!

 

[Birdman]

Wendy, thank you so much, you just saved me a days work and some unnecessary lumber costs.

 

[chicks rule]

someone also use the plastic totes from Dollar General or walmart. Also try flea mkts, might find some interesting things there

 

[wendy]

Quote:
your welcome like to help out our fellow byc'ers

are you going to put them up off the floor?