Nest Box Preferences? Floor vs Raised / Interior vs Exterior

[RiddleMe]

Still trying to finalize my coop design and had some questions about nest boxes. Which do people (and their birds) prefer, and what are the pros/cons of each...

1) A block of boxes stacked 2 high or just one longer row of boxes?
2) The bottom box at floor height or raised ~18 inches?
3) Interior or exterior boxes, ie the ones built to "hang" outside the coop wall?

I'm going to include "egg access" in the exterior coop wall regardless, so when I'm away from home for the occassional weekend, my 80+ yo neighbor can come collect eggs without having to go into the coop.

I don't think I'll have any floor space issues, the coop will be 100 - 200 sq ft (depends if I build new or convert an existing shed) for 12-18 LF hens. The girls will also have ~400 sq feet of enclosed/covered run and access to 1.5 acres of 6' fenced pasture during the day to free range.

 

[VI KING RANCH]

I would go with interior one long row of boxes. How many hens do you have you only need about one box per four hens.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
If you're only going to have 18 hens, you only need like 4-6 nestboxes max, which for most people would fit neatly into a single row on the wall. Access for the chickens is easier when it's a single row. OTOH you can certainly do the other arrangement if you want, there's nothing really *wrong* with it.

2) The bottom box at floor height or raised ~18 inches?

Raised, if at all possible (and in your coop I see no reason why it wouldn't be), so that they can walk around and use the floorspace underneath the boxes. Even in a decent-sized coop, that still matters.

3) Interior or exterior boxes, ie the ones built to "hang" outside the coop wall?

Interior, by all means!!!! If you want outside acccess, build a hatch int he wall, as you suggest, but build the boxes INSIDE. It is far, far easier to engineer, and exterior boxes are a chronic weakness in terms of weatherproofing and predatorproofing.

The ONLY reason in my opinion to EVER have exterior boxes is if the coop is teeny tiny and there simply is not physical room for indoor nestboxes.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[speckledhen]

I second what Pat said.

 

[weekend farmer]

I like the interior boxes I have 4 nesting boxes for 18 hens and I could get away with 2. They seem to be drawn to the boxes with eggs already laid. This summer I am building roll out boxes and will only build 2.

 

[yelim]

I have stacked 4 on 4 boxes just a little off the floor for the bottom ones like maybe 8-10".
I get most eggs in the bottom row but they do use them all but not every day. I have seen 2 hens in one box with 7 other boxes empty. I probably have more than I need. Just remember to keep the roost higher than the nest boxes.

 

[RiddleMe]

Quote:
If you're only going to have 18 hens, you only need like 4-6 nestboxes max, which for most people would fit neatly into a single row on the wall. Access for the chickens is easier when it's a single row. OTOH you can certainly do the other arrangement if you want, there's nothing really *wrong* with it.

2) The bottom box at floor height or raised ~18 inches?

Raised, if at all possible (and in your coop I see no reason why it wouldn't be), so that they can walk around and use the floorspace underneath the boxes. Even in a decent-sized coop, that still matters.

3) Interior or exterior boxes, ie the ones built to "hang" outside the coop wall?

Interior, by all means!!!! If you want outside acccess, build a hatch int he wall, as you suggest, but build the boxes INSIDE. It is far, far easier to engineer, and exterior boxes are a chronic weakness in terms of weatherproofing and predatorproofing.

The ONLY reason in my opinion to EVER have exterior boxes is if the coop is teeny tiny and there simply is not physical room for indoor nestboxes.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

Thanks everyone for the input! I like the idea of one row of raised interior boxes, easier to build and if I ever need to relocate or adjust them, like adding a roll-out back to avoid egg eaters, it will be a lot easier.​

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have both and both. I have floor and raised & interior and exterior. I have floor for my Cornish X (too big to jump into raised nesting boxes), ducks and geese. I have raised for Chickens and ducks who prefer to jump/fly into the boxes.

 

[RiddleMe]

Quote:
I'm going to start with Orps, Brahmas, Wyandottes, EEs, and hopefully Marans and Welsummers, just 3 of each breed until I figure out which ones I like best. They're all pretty good sized birds, but I'm thinking they should all be able to jump up to an 18" raised nest box, especially if I put a landing spot in front of them?

 

[RiddleMe]

Another question wrt nest boxes and roost location. Any reason a roost shouldn't be on the wall adjacent to the nest boxes? Will roosting activities upset laying hens (broodies will get their own private area). I was thinking since they are night vs day activities, no, but...