Nesting box placement

[annie511]

Can anyone tell me if my boxes are up too high? I'm new to the chicken raising and we converted a playhouse into a coop. The top boxes are about 4.5 off the ground at the perch... should I move them lower?

 

[TerryH]

A good general rule is that the nesting boxes should be lower than the roosts. Chickens will want to roost as high as they can and if the nests are the highest point they will likely roost and therefore poop in them. Are they roosting on or in them?

 

[annie511]

I've had the boxes in there for 2 nights now bc they are 15 wks now and when I looked last night they were all snoozing on their normal roosts. The girls have been in the coop for about 2 months now without the boxes. I was more worried about them flying down and getting hurt. I just went and measured... the top boxes at the perch are 3.5 ft not 4.5

 

[Hokum Coco]

Can anyone tell me if my boxes are up too high? The top boxes are about 4.5 off the ground at the perch... should I move them lower?
My nest boxes are 2' off the floor with good results.

 

[annie511]

I can't decide what to do. The coop is rectangular and they have plenty of room to fly off the roosts but I'm not sure if they do off the nesting boxes. I might leave them for now and see what happens. The location of the boxes is very convenient for me being right next to the man door.

 

[aart]

How many birds do you have?
You only need 1 nest for every 3-5 birds.
I'd be concerned too.......I'd also get out a tape measure and check those heights again.

 

[annie511]

How many birds do you have?
You only need 1 nest for every 3-5 birds.
I'd be concerned too.......I'd also get out a tape measure and check those heights again.

I have 11 birds. The top boxes are 3.5 feet off the ground at the perch