Nest Box Size

[jthornton]

I built a community nest box big enough or so I thought for 2 at a time to lay eggs. If one is inside the next one just waits outside, would making the nest box wider get two at at time inside? Right now the box is 24" wide and 12" deep. I think the box should be deeper because the hen sits parallel with the opening all the time. I'm thinking it needs to be 16" deep. I have enough room for about 32" wide if you think that will help. This screen shot shows one hen with her head part way out on the left.



JT

 

[SueT]

I think it just depends on the chickens. I turned 2 wooden nest boxes into one long one, and so far, no one shares, but it is also narrow like yours, 24X12. I closed it in some, and named it The Royal Suite to make it more enticing. It's the #2 most popular, lol.. I added a wicker laundry basket I got at a thrift store and that is currently the favorite. I've seen 2 try to share that one, but mainly it's a 'top hen' nest and she ain't sharing.
There are 2 other wooden crate nests one rarely used, the other never, and the bantams like the plastic milk crate.

 

[Fairview01]

I've had 3, not bantam, full size chickens try to fit into the favorite homer bucket while the other 3 buckets were empty. Although there was so much of the third one outside the bucket she laid in the coop.

I have absolutely no idea what's not to like about the other 3 identical buckets.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I think mine are also 12"X12" but I didn't build them, so would have to measure or ask hubs They could stand to be a little deeper - if you have the room, that would be good. I've never had my girls share a nest, they always wait for their favorite.

 

[song of joy]

12 x 12" is a pretty typical nest box size for standard-sized hens. For bantams: 10x10". For large breeds like cochins and jersey giants, I'd recommend 14 x 14".

It's not unusual that they won't share a nest box, regardless of size. They tend to want privacy and sometimes get very "turfy" when laying.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The community nest boxes I'm familiar with are pretty much enclosed with openings on each end. They are deep enough the hens can walk around each other. Chickens can be pretty inconsiderate and just think about themselves, not really thinking about any others.

Most of my hens are quite happy to share a nest, it's not unusual to see three hens on one of my 16" x 16" nests at the same time. But occasionally I get one that is a nest hog. I had one a few years back that not only refused to share a nest but she took about three hours on the nest to lay her egg.

I can't remember how many hens you have. My suggestion would be to extend that as long as you can and make it deeper, at least 16" with 24" even better if you want a community best box. I like that curtain across the front but maybe leave about 6" with no curtain at the ends to show them where to enter yet give them privacy in the middle. Maybe that will move them from the openings. Or maybe make it 16" x 32" and put a divider in there to make two separate nests.

 

[Howard E]

JT: The old school books recommended nest boxes of 14" x 14", which is what I built. Even at that, a fill sized bird like a RIR will fill those up. It could be made larger with no harm done. BTW, I put 1/2" x 1" cage wire on the bottom of mine. Lets all dust, trash, droppings, broken eggs, etc fall through the bottom to the floor. Keeps nest boxes much cleaner. They are still lined with grass hay, which gets swapped out every month or so.

Interesting observation........I have three nest boxes. For training wheels, I put a golf ball in each one. They used all three equally. I pulled the golf balls and suddenly they all started using the same nest. As is 0-0-12. Put the golf balls back in and they went back to using all three again.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Mines 40" wide and I get two or 3 in at a time, however my GLW who is lowest in the pecking order is kept out by the bossy girls and lays on the ground a lot I am thinking of adding a box for her but who knows if the bossy girls will let her use it.

I have two openings, not sure if that makes a difference.


Gary

 

[Fairview01]

Until I rattled can the on orange homer buckets with black paint they wouldn't have anything to do with them. I guess to much light was coming through. But still I never collect less than 6 eggs and sometimes more than 10 in that one bucket.

Beats me that a a few sprays of black paint can make a difference. It's not like I have even 25% coverage.

 

[jthornton]

@Ridgerunner and @IdyllwildAcres Thanks for the feedback on community nest boxes. I'll start a new one this weekend when the kids and grandkids leave. LOL right after I posted twice I saw two hens in the roll out nest box but for sure it's too small. My big mistake was basing it on a single nest box size of 12x12x12x2. Lesson learned.

JT