Nesting box options/placement

[MichelleKing]

I have 6 soon to be 7 chickens. My coop has two floors. Top floor has 4 nesting boxes. Here's my question. I bought some additional nesting boxes because I read sometimes they like options and additional areas.

Heres what I've done:
Put an additional waterproof nesting box on the bottom floor in the corner of the back
Put another fully free standing rollaway box in the run hidden in a dark area in the corner (run fully fenced and wired in on all sides). Should I be elevating these free standing boxes off the ground?

Also, I have one more box not in use. Is it necessary? Do I use it?

Does anyonw have any suggestions on placement of nesting boxes and tricks to get the hens to like them? Is there a special place that would work every time? Should I keep it away from the water source and if so what distance? What about keeping it away from the perches?

I have nesting pads and a nesting dried herbal blend made for chickens inside the boxes.

 

[Melky]

I don’t see why they wouldn’t use the nesting boxes close to the ground but I’m not sure you need them if 4 up in house. I have a chic house with fenced in run all roofed and shingled. I have a ramp to my chic house and they have a nesting area with two roosting bars across. To the left of that inside I have 3 nesting boxes with dividers. I put nesting pads in them. My feeder and waterer I keep in my run under the chic house to protect from weather. The waterer hangs from under the hut. The food is standing fountain. I also have outside roosting bar that goes across run and is Away from food supply to keep clean. They poop a lot under their roosting bars. They love the rounded top 2 inch roosting bars.

You may need to check local ordinances from your planning commission they may dictate sometimes your structure and the need to apply for approval for it. Mine dictated my house and nesting boxes should be 24 inches off the ground. So I have extra run space under my chic house.

4 nesting boxes should be all you need. 1 box for every two hens is fine.

I’m not sure the trouble you have with them using them now. Maybe if you tell us more we can help.

 

[50-45-1]

Sounds cool!
I use fake eggs and golf balls to show my girs where to lay. I have 6 nest boxes with 3 in each box.
Not sure of your coop design, but i would not put my nest box under a roosting area because of, you know, the poop.
Show us some pictures if you can. We love photos here!

 

[Melky]

I don’t see why they wouldn’t use the nesting boxes close to the ground but I’m not sure you need them if 4 up in house. I have a chic house with fenced in run all roofed and shingled. I have a ramp to my chic house and they have a nesting area with two roosting bars across. To the left of that inside I have 3 nesting boxes with dividers. I put nesting pads in them. My feeder and waterer I keep in my run under the chic house to protect from weather. The waterer hangs from under the hut. The food is standing fountain. I also have outside roosting bar that goes across run and is Away from food supply to keep clean. They poop a lot under their roosting bars. They love the rounded top 2 inch roosting bars.

You may need to check local ordinances from your planning commission they may dictate sometimes your structure and the need to apply for approval for it. Mine dictated my house and nesting boxes should be 24 inches off the ground. So I have extra run space under my chic house.

4 nesting boxes should be all you need. 1 box for every two hens is fine.

I’m not sure the trouble you have with them using them now. Maybe if you tell us more we can help.

If your chics are 15 weeks or more it’s time to put false eggs in your nesting boxes to show them how to use them. How old are your chics. Some people use golf balls. Just be sure you can tell them apart from real eggs. I marked a couple false ceramic eggs with dot on bottom.

 

[MichelleKing]

I don’t see why they wouldn’t use the nesting boxes close to the ground but I’m not sure you need them if 4 up in house. I have a chic house with fenced in run all roofed and shingled. I have a ramp to my chic house and they have a nesting area with two roosting bars across. To the left of that inside I have 3 nesting boxes with dividers. I put nesting pads in them. My feeder and waterer I keep in my run under the chic house to protect from weather. The waterer hangs from under the hut. The food is standing fountain. I also have outside roosting bar that goes across run and is Away from food supply to keep clean. They poop a lot under their roosting bars. They love the rounded top 2 inch roosting bars.

You may need to check local ordinances from your planning commission they may dictate sometimes your structure and the need to apply for approval for it. Mine dictated my house and nesting boxes should be 24 inches off the ground. So I have extra run space under my chic house.

4 nesting boxes should be all you need. 1 box for every two hens is fine.

I’m not sure the trouble you have with them using them now. Maybe if you tell us more we can help.

Well, two of my gals should be laying right now, but i just integrated them into the flock and know they can be stressed. So i just want to be sure when they are ready to lay, they have sufficient boxes. the other three of my gals are have about 6 weeks to go before they lay so im not worried about them.

 

[MichelleKing]

Sounds cool!
I use fake eggs and golf balls to show my girs where to lay. I have 6 nest boxes with 3 in each box.
Not sure of your coop design, but i would not put my nest box under a roosting area because of, you know, the poop.
Show us some pictures if you can. We love photos here!

Awesome! I will take some this morning and post when the sun rises

 

[MichelleKing]

If your chics are 15 weeks or more it’s time to put false eggs in your nesting boxes to show them how to use them. How old are your chics. Some people use golf balls. Just be sure you can tell them apart from real eggs. I marked a couple false ceramic eggs with dot on bottom.

Thank you! I have some golf balls in there. Thought about the ceramic eggs but a bit pricey. Do you think the ceramics are worth it or golf balls just as good?

 

[Melky]

Thank you! I have some golf balls in there. Thought about the ceramic eggs but a bit pricey. Do you think the ceramics are worth it or golf balls just as good?

Golf balls probably just as good.