Nest box number

[mossyoakpro]

I've looked for an answer on here but see everything but the answer....3 nest boxes work for 11 layers? Any ratio to go by? Thanks in advance!!

 

[wamtazlady]

I believe 1 nest boxes per 4 hens works well. I have 6 hens. They use just one of the 3 boxes I have. The coop was originally built for 12 hens. I think 3 is a perfect number of boxes for 11 hens, but don't be surprise if they prefer to use just 1 or 2.

 

[mossyoakpro]

I believe 1 nest boxes per 4 hens works well. I have 6 hens. They use just one of the 3 boxes I have. The coop was originally built for 12 hens. I think 3 is a perfect number of boxes for 11 hens, but don't be surprise if they prefer to use just 1 or 2.

I put them in today...I still have a while before they start laying but it was nice and cool for a change so I got out in the coop and put them up instead of being in a crunch. I blocked them off so they can't get in them yet and they are lower than the roost so I should be good to go when the time comes.

Thanks!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

The general guidelines given in this forum is 4 hens per nest with those nests a minimum of 12" x 12". Larger nests can usually handle more hens per nest. A 24" x 48" community nets built a certain way can supposedly handle 24 hens but really isn't very good for a broody hen to hatch in.

I call this a guideline because it is not an exact science. This 4 to 1 will keep most people out of trouble most of the time. You can wind up with more than the absolute minimum number of nests than you have to have, but occasionally it may stretch you tight. Each situation is different. When I had 11 hens 3 nests worked fine. When I went to 15 hens I added a fourth nest.

I blocked them off so they can't get in them yet

Why? I personally want my nests open at least a week before they start to lay. Different reasons for that. If the nest is not available when they lay their first egg they may decide another place is a good place to lay. I don't want to teach them to not lay in my nests.

Not all pullets for sure but many start to look for a safe place to lay an egg about a week before they actually lay that first egg. I want them to at least consider my nests for that first egg.

Searching for a good place to lay a egg generally involves scratching. If I find my nest bedding and fake eggs scratched out onto the coop floor it is a pretty good sign I need to raise the lip on the nest to make it harder for them to scratch the bedding, fake eggs, and real eggs out.

If your roosts are higher than your nests the pullets usually sleep on the roosts. Usually doesn't mean always though. For different reasons it is possible that one of some will want to sleep in a nest. This often involves a bully, but not always. If they are going to sleep in the nests when I open the nests I want to know that far enough ahead of time that I can fix the problem before I get poopy eggs.

As far as I'm concerned there is nothing wrong with blocking off the nests until they start to roost as long as the nests are open a week before they start to lay. When will they start to lay? Nobody knows for sure. I've had a couple start as young as 16 weeks, but that is fairly rare. Most are later. But my target would be to have the nests open by 15 weeks of age.

 

[LabMomma]

Typically you want one nest box for every 3-4 hens. So three boxes for 11 hens should be just fine

 

[mossyoakpro]

The general guidelines given in this forum is 4 hens per nest with those nests a minimum of 12" x 12". Larger nests can usually handle more hens per nest. A 24" x 48" community nets built a certain way can supposedly handle 24 hens but really isn't very good for a broody hen to hatch in.

I call this a guideline because it is not an exact science. This 4 to 1 will keep most people out of trouble most of the time. You can wind up with more than the absolute minimum number of nests than you have to have, but occasionally it may stretch you tight. Each situation is different. When I had 11 hens 3 nests worked fine. When I went to 15 hens I added a fourth nest.


Why? I personally want my nests open at least a week before they start to lay. Different reasons for that. If the nest is not available when they lay their first egg they may decide another place is a good place to lay. I don't want to teach them to not lay in my nests.

Not all pullets for sure but many start to look for a safe place to lay an egg about a week before they actually lay that first egg. I want them to at least consider my nests for that first egg.

Searching for a good place to lay a egg generally involves scratching. If I find my nest bedding and fake eggs scratched out onto the coop floor it is a pretty good sign I need to raise the lip on the nest to make it harder for them to scratch the bedding, fake eggs, and real eggs out.

If your roosts are higher than your nests the pullets usually sleep on the roosts. Usually doesn't mean always though. For different reasons it is possible that one of some will want to sleep in a nest. This often involves a bully, but not always. If they are going to sleep in the nests when I open the nests I want to know that far enough ahead of time that I can fix the problem before I get poopy eggs.

As far as I'm concerned there is nothing wrong with blocking off the nests until they start to roost as long as the nests are open a week before they start to lay. When will they start to lay? Nobody knows for sure. I've had a couple start as young as 16 weeks, but that is fairly rare. Most are later. But my target would be to have the nests open by 15 weeks of age.

I figured I would open them up in a couple of weeks...they're only 14 weeks old right now. Unless you think I should let them have at it now??

 

[rosemarythyme]

3 for 11 should work fine, I have 3 for 10 and I think only once have I seen a bird pacing around because there wasn't a spot open for her.

I figured I would open them up in a couple of weeks...they're only 14 weeks old right now. Unless you think I should let them have at it now??

At 14 weeks, and assuming they've been roosting no problem, I'd want them to be exploring the boxes to give them a few weeks to get used to them and to see them as potential laying spots in the future. It'll also give you time to address any issues (like birds wanting to sleep in them).

 

[mossyoakpro]

3 for 11 should work fine, I have 3 for 10 and I think only once have I seen a bird pacing around because there wasn't a spot open for her.

At 14 weeks, and assuming they've been roosting no problem, I'd want them to be exploring the boxes to give them a few weeks to get used to them and to see them as potential laying spots in the future. It'll also give you time to address any issues (like birds wanting to sleep in them).

They roost very good fortunately...I'll open them up and let them check them out. Thanks!!

 

[mossyoakpro]

3 for 11 should work fine, I have 3 for 10 and I think only once have I seen a bird pacing around because there wasn't a spot open for her.

At 14 weeks, and assuming they've been roosting no problem, I'd want them to be exploring the boxes to give them a few weeks to get used to them and to see them as potential laying spots in the future. It'll also give you time to address any issues (like birds wanting to sleep in them).

Well, I opened up the boxes yesterday and placed the nest pads in them....I checked them after they went to roost and none of them were in the nest boxes!! YAY Should I go ahead and put the fake eggs in so they can see them?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Well, I opened up the boxes yesterday and placed the nest pads in them....I checked them after they went to roost and none of them were in the nest boxes!!

Excellent. You got the result most people get when the roosts are higher than the nests.

Should I go ahead and put the fake eggs in so they can see them?

I would so I can see what happens.