Nesting box question

[ChickaBamBam]

We need to set up nesting boxes soon. Our Red Star and BO are 15 weeks old. Also I have Aussie's on the way and I am crossing my fingers that between the BO, the future Aussie's and our 6 wk old Rock pullet that I get a couple broody hens that become mommies.

So here are my questions:
I have read that the nesting boxes should be up off the ground (as long as they are lower than the roost) but *if* in the event I do have a hen hatch eggs should I plan ahead now and have the boxes a little lower so the chicks can hop out without falling too far? If so, how low would that be from the ground? 12 inches, 6, lower?

Also, I read about people relocating their broody hen and/ or the hen and chicks after they have hatched. What is the reason for that? If I am going to need a separate area then maybe I should just include that in my plans now?

Oh, I am sure I am over thinking and over complicating this.....
Help?

 

[Judy]

I have a separate room in my coop (the room is about 5'x6') for broodies to set. This prevents others from jostling eggs when trying to lay in the same nest, and prevents the broody from returning to the wrong nest. These and more will happen with a setting broody. Once the chicks are 2 or 3 days old, they always have wanted to get out, be with the flock, so I let them. The mamas protect the chicks and the chicks are integrated into the flock when the mama quits mothering, around 4-6 weeks. Best improvement I ever made to the coop. Of course the area is also useful for a "hospital" for an injured bird, and once, to brood chicks when there was no broody. I happen to have a large coop (we already had the materials -- I love it!) but you could make a small separate area -- I'd make it large enough for the mama to walk around a bit.

Nest boxes can be at any height (as you said, lower than roosts) and made of anything. Mine are all recycled. If I had to replace them, I'd never have attached nests again -- to each other, the wall or floor, etc. Easier to clean and rearrange, yes. But the thing is, once a broody picks a nest and starts setting, she can be very hard to move, even stop being broody. Being able to move the nest and nesting material she has chosen can make all the difference in keeping her broody and on the nest.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Since the bird, by nature it seems, lays on the ground, down in basement window wells and other low places, you can set the nests right on the ground. Prop them on a couple of cinder blocks, or mount them 2 feet off the ground. The pullets will learn where they are and what they are for. I see no reason to mount them higher and suspect when they are mounted higher, it is more for the convenience of the egg collector. All our nest boxes are just scrap OSB that was headed for the dump anyhow. Since they are inside, they've held up for years and years.

 

[ChickaBamBam]

I have a separate room in my coop (the room is about 5'x6') for broodies to set.

Being able to move the nest and nesting material she has chosen can make all the difference in keeping her broody and on the nest.

Ok, that was incredible info and my head is reeling now

...I have a frame that is 5'3" by 6' by 6' tall that I was trying to figure out what to to do with AND I was wishing I had built the coop in a way that gave me a storage area AND I have a bunch of scrap lumber out by the coop.....AND I have a couple old milk crates I decided to use for boxes and they would be easy to move if needed AND Thanks, thanks, thanks!
I done stressing and excited all over again

Can ya tell? LOLOL

I see no reason to mount them higher and suspect when they are mounted higher, it is more for the convenience of the egg collector.

That's a relief and when you put it that way it makes perfect sense! Thanks Fred's Hens

 

[Nicole01]

Here's my box, they use all 4 spaces, especially if they need to lay all at once! They don't mind the floor level nests at all.

I also have a broody sitting on eggs in the bottom left box, perfect for her. One of the eggs will hatch today or tomorrow.