Is the next box too small for Brahma?

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

So i have a light Brahma in my mixed flock of 15. She has been laying her eggs on the highest roost bar. Which generally means they fall and break. Which then means the others eat it. And i am not trying to start an egg eating frenzy so this is concerning me. I was in the coop today just checking and i was starting to think maybe the opening of the nest box is too small. I have an older style metal nest box with 10 holes. So there’s plenty of spaces. But seeing her size and the opening i am trying to figure out if she just hasn’t figured it out or does not fit.

 

[sourland]

Can you post a picture of the nest box that you think might be too small ?

 

[rosemarythyme]

How big's the opening and the overall nest box dimensions? For standard hens 12" cubed is what you see most often (personally I like it a bit bigger), but larger hens would likely want something closer to 16" cubed.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I have Brahmas. My largest nesting boxes are 13" x 13" The majority are 12" x 12". The largest are the preferred egg laying locations, but i get eggs in all. The hens are between 4.5-6.5lbs processed.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

I have Brahmas. My largest nesting boxes are 13" x 13" The majority are 12" x 12". The largest are the preferred egg laying locations, but i get eggs in all. The hens are between 4.5-6.5lbs processed.

How big is the opening for the nest box? I am certain the inside is plenty big enough but as i was watching her move around the roost bar to get in and out i just wondered if maybe she was too big. She was a spring chick last year but never started to lay before the days got short. So now that they are getting longer i feel like she is still learning. But she is our largest bird.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

Can you post a picture of the nest box that you think might be too small ?

I put one on the original post. This is the corner of the 10 hole nest box.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

How big's the opening and the overall nest box dimensions? For standard hens 12" cubed is what you see most often (personally I like it a bit bigger), but larger hens would likely want something closer to 16" cubed.

I will have to measure the opening. The box is easily deep enough.

 

[Mtnboomer]

How big is the opening for the nest box? I am certain the inside is plenty big enough but as i was watching her move around the roost bar to get in and out i just wondered if maybe she was too big. She was a spring chick last year but never started to lay before the days got short. So now that they are getting longer i feel like she is still learning. But she is our largest bird.

Its the full width of the box minus the width of the dividers. So 10 1/2" and 11 1/2".

 

[Mtnboomer]

I put one on the original post. This is the corner of the 10 hole nest box.

My boxes look taller than those openings. It may be a height issue.

 

[aart]

She was a spring chick last year but never started to lay before the days got short. So now that they are getting longer i feel like she is still learning. But she is our largest bird.

So she's a new layer.....and acting like one.
Lots of bedding and a fake egg in a nest or two?
Give her time, she'll figure it out.
I don't think the nest size is an issue.