Nest Box Placement

[C_Dzchicks]

I placed my nest boxes in the top of my hen house it seems that everybody thinks that a bad idea. What should I do? Is it really going to be a problem? I have a chicken tractor and the box is probably 20 inches off the ground and goes to the ceiling.

 

[CityClucks]

Put your nestboxes lower than any roosting poles or boards - that way the clucks are less likely to roost on or in the nestboxes, keeping them cleaner for egg laying. Outside access to the nestboxes for you is a convenience, but not a necessity.

When your clucks get to egg-laying stage, keep them inside the coop to help them learn to lay in the nests - otherwise you may find eggs all over your yard - it's been hard for me to break their habit of laying behind the air conditioner, in the doghouse, etc. if I don't train them early. Good luck!!

 

[Imp]

Quote:
The usual advice is to place the nest boxes on the floor up to 24 inches off the floor, with 18-24 inches being the most common. If you have yours at the top of your coop- can the chickens reach them? If you have a small coop or tractor, not a problem.

Outside access is for you to gather the eggs without needing to go into the coop. I don't have outside access, but I can reach all the nests from the doorway.

Hope I read your questions correctly. It is ultimately your decision on what works for you.

Good luck,

Imp- and what city clucks said

 

[chickens3]

No it will not be a pro.

 

[cmjust0]

Nest box placement is something I've wondered about, too.. So, if 18" to 24" is average, what happens if you've got two rows of nestboxes on top of one another? My plan is basically to have two horizontal rows of four boxes...if I put the lower boxes 24" off the floor, the bottom of the second row would be about 36" off the floor.

Is that too high?

If not...would I still want to put the roosts higher than the nestboxes, if the nestboxes are 36" off the floor? I can't imagine a roost being 48" off the floor, especially considering that our coop will be, shall we say, vertically challenged as it is..(about 5' interior height).

 

[C_Dzchicks]

Thanks for the input! Yes I have a chicken tractor which means I have very little roosting space. I'll try to post a pic of my nest box when I get home. I'm actually a little worried because it appears that I have only about 1.5 sq. ft. / chicken (I only have 6 girls!

) and 12 sq ft/chicken of run space. I hope this isn't going to be a problem because I've thought about it and don't know how I'm going to add on to my tractor if it is too small...

My wife and I want to work toward breed preservation of Dominiques in conjuction with my sister's flock (and me borrowing my sisters roo when the time comes since I live pretty much in downtown Knoxville). I feel like my working toward my breed goals will be extremely limited with flock any smaller than the one I have.

I also fear I'm getting too attached to the girls I have to weed out the ones with unfavorable traits. I do look forward to a nice looking flock, though and egg production rates high on my list of breeding goals so that bods well for them...

 

[C_Dzchicks]

I put a flat roof on it so the nest box is all the way at the top. I'm building a box under it to put a reccessed light in the coop and below that a 5inch computer fan about the level of the droppings board to ventilate. I wonder if it is going to be a problem that the nestbox is so high...

 

[chickens3]

That will work out just fine.

 

[SimplyForties]

Good looking setup!

 

[C_Dzchicks]

Now I only worry that I have 6 hens going in that little space. Thats less than 1.5 sq ft/ bird, have the recommended space. They have 12 sq ft/bird of run space so I'm hoping they won't spend too much time in the hen house and when they do I have good ventilation so I hope they won't have any problems.