Nest box size, Does size matter?

moco27

Chirping
5 Years
I have Black Jersey Giants and during my research on nest boxes I saw several articles that talked about larger chickens needing larger nest boxes.

I took a grow your farm class at the local extension office and brought up the topic. One of my classmates said she had Jersey Giants and all her hens large and small laid in the same small box.

One of my farm hands that was helping me build a new coop for the Giants didn't believe the larger hens would like a small nest box. Ours were built 12" X 12" X 12". They all liked and layed in the nest boxes.

The proof that size isn't that important is that we had a board split on one of our coop walls and the wall cavity was exposed. We have a two year old Jersey Giant hen decide she liked the wall cavity better than the nest box. The wall cavity is 6" X 24". I don't know how she turns around in there but she manages just fine. She always lays them as far back as she can get them and I need a stick to get them out.

12" X 12" X 12" is just fine and if space is a problem a little smaller won't deter them even if they are extra large chickens.
 
To me there are two ways that nest size might matter. It’s not that unusual for me to see two or even three hens in one nest laying eggs while here are other nests empty. It makes acute picture when one hen is laying an egg on top of another, but I really prefer them to be closer to the nest level when that egg comes out.

The other comes into play with a broody hen hatching eggs in the nest. It’s pretty common for one of the chicks that hatch early to climb on Mama’s back while she’s hatching the later chicks. If Mama is sitting close to an edge of the nest that chick might miss the nest entirely and fall to the floor. I had that happen when a hen hatched in a kitty litter bucket. Not the kitty litter pan but the bucket the litter comes in. I quickly retired that nest.

Hens can and will lay in some pretty tight areas. I’ve seen them hatch chicks in hidden nests you would not think they could get in. But for the nests I build I personally prefer to give them plenty of room.
 

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