Laying boxes

[redheadfarmer]

Hi we are looking to construct some laying boxes for our pullets in the hopes they will be encouraged to start laying eggs. We have a rhode island red, a cochin and an easter egger. What dimensions should we make them?

 

[Yay Chicks!]

For three hens you can probably get by with one nesting box. People seem to have varying dimensions. Something like 12 x 12 x 14. I have a double wide one for four hens, but they all lay on one side of it.

After you place the nesting material in the box, putting a golf ball in there is a way of saying that this is a safe place to lay.

Oh, and they will lay when they are ready to lay. Even if you build them they nicest nesting box ever. But, it's always good to be prepared!

How old are they?

 

[daver]

Our 5 birds use one nest box and everyone seems to be content although only three are laying. No need to be fancy.

Daver

 

[Fred's Hens]

Large bodied fowl seem to prefer the slightly larger box. I got some full bodied BRs this year. I mean, big girls. They'll choose the larger of the two boxes, every time. I wouldn't have necessarily have guessed that. It is 16x16 while the other is 14x14.

 

[SteveBaz]

I love these guys and can see a complete row of them in a laying room on a wall by themselves.

http://fowlstuff.com/Products.html