Nesting box question

[flowerchild59]

I am going to be building a dozen nest boxes for our 30-40 hens and will be doing 6 on top, 6 on bottom to save some space, or is it really better to have them all at one level?
If I do the 6 up, 6 down version, I want to be able to harvest the eggs from my indoor storage area and not have to enter the coop itself to pick up the eggs. I was thinking of ways to do the wall behind the next (on the people side of the wall). I was thinking that may some cheap louver closet doors would be good (and quick to open and close to pick up the eggss) and also provide a little ventilation.
Any ideas?

 

[Ridgerunner]

On the same level or stacked does not matter to the chickens. They will wind up laying mostly in the same nests anyway and right now no one can tell you which ones that will be. I'd suggest making them convenient to you, both from an aspect of cleaning the coop and being able to gather the eggs.

Chickens usually like dark secluded safe looking areas to lay eggs. You can use the louvers if you want but I'd personally try to keep them fairly dark. One thing to be aware of is that nests that open to the outside like that can be weaknesses that predators can take advantage of or they can be places where water can leak in. Good building techniques can take care of those problems, but I thought I'd just mention it.

I built nests with outside access and never use the outside access. Turns out it is easier to just step in the coop. I like being able to check things out inside, whether it is observing the chickens, checking the droppings board to see if it is time to clean it, or handle food and water.

Good luck!

 

[chicmom]

Everything Ridgerunner said is dead on! Good advice. I just wanted to tell you that I have 12 laying hens right now, and three nest boxes, and those darned gals always want to lay in ONE BOX! They will wait in line to lay their eggs, and leave the two other nesting boxes empty like they have the plague or something, and they're all exactly the same!

 

[Ironmaiden]

Now THAT is interesting! Contrary birds...