Nest Box for Orpingtons

[cluckfan]

Do you find that you need a non standard nest box for Orpingtons or other large chickens?
My husband is convinced that our Hens are not going to nest in a 12 inch ware box. My hens are not laying yet , but soon will be.

 

[maybejoey]

As long as they can fit into it im sure they will lay.

 

[DanEP]

All 13 of my bo's lay in 12 x12 boxes. I have trouble getting them out of there but it doesn't seem to be a problem for them and have even seen two in at a time.

 

[florida lee]

my boxes are 14 x 14 and i'm thinking I made them too big. Maybe I should have made them 12 x 12.

 

[SycolinWoodsChickens]

I'm not sure it matters that much if the box is larger than 12x12. Our Orps lay in a small dog kennel. We like the size - way bigger than 14 x 14 - and the fact that when they go broody we can pick the whole thing up and move them to a better location to raise the chicks!

Errr... I mean ducks. This year our broodies just hatched out duckllings for us.

What mine like the most is the darkest location they can find. We have 7 kennels with the chooks and they like to lay in whatever ones are in the darkest location and ignore the others.

 

[cluckfan]

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That's what I think, but my spouse calls them Turkeys

 

[cluckfan]

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Two at a time! Ha Ha. would lve to see that. These girls are huge. I love them.

 

[cluckfan]

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I think he would haved loved to had 14x14 boxes. I said settle for what you can get or make them yourself.
My hens will be stuffed into them for sure, but asong as it works !

 

[cluckfan]

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My temporary coop has ben a large kennel but they were starting to fight for room. We got two rectangler dog houses at TSC and are refitting them with roost, and boxes and a smaller doorway. It seems to work. Like the thought of broody hens being able to be moved so easy with your ideal.

 

[offmyroost]

My two orpingtons are BIG girls and they just started laying. I had the same concerns you do, but the 12 inch boxes haven't been a problem. Good luck.