Nesting box size?

[RobHatch01]

I acquired a wall shelf that would be a perfect nesting box, the only thing is the openings are 11" x 11" and not 12" x 12" like most things recommend. Will that be a problem?
Thanks in advance for any help, we are new to the chicken life and don't want to mess up on the important parts!

 

[PirateGirl]

It should work fine. If they are new layers it may take time time to figure out where exactly to lay. If they are established layers there is a chance they will protest the new nest boxes at first because chickens like to make things difficult that way.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Assuming you don't have any giant breeds, you can try using it and see if the chickens take to it or not. If they don't seem to want to use it, then maybe consider building something larger at that time.

Mine are a bit larger, 15" cubed.

 

[aart]

Recommended nest minimum is 12x12x12".
Mine are 14x14x16" with 10" dia entrances 4" above nest floor and a perch 8" out from front.

@RobHatch01 can you post a pic of this shelf?

 

[Ted Brown]

.. 4" above nest floor and a perch 8" out from front.

Do you mean 4" above coop floor? (Sorry do not mean to hijack thread)

If yes seems that this would be in the way for cleaning and would defeat any hope of DLM?

Thanks

 

[aart]

Do you mean 4" above coop floor?

4" above nest floor

To keep bedding and eggs from being scratched out of nest.

 

[Ted Brown]

To keep bedding and eggs from being scratched out of nest.

Ah, of course should have read more carefully.

How high do you have them above the coop floor (I believe they should be below the roost bars)?

 

[aart]

Ah, of course should have read more carefully.

How high do you have them above the coop floor (I believe they should be below the roost bars)?

My nest bottoms are about 24" off coop floor, roosts are about 36".
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

 

[Ridgerunner]

I acquired a wall shelf that would be a perfect nesting box, the only thing is the openings are 11" x 11" and not 12" x 12" like most things recommend. Will that be a problem?
Thanks in advance for any help, we are new to the chicken life and don't want to mess up on the important parts!

I assume that is the depth to the back wall and the sides, not the height of the opening? And I'm guessing that is clear distance between walls, not centerline distances. Chickens stand up as they lay the egg so height is important but I've seen chicken slay in some pretty shallow places.

As far as laying eggs it will probably work fine, even with full sized fowl. I once used a cat litter bucket as a nest, the top measurements were 7-1/2" x 11-1/2". The hens did not have any trouble laying eggs in that. The problem came in when I let a hen hatch in it. The first baby chicks that hatched would climb up on the broody hen's back while waiting for the later eggs to hatch. Kids gotta play or get bored. She was sitting so close to the edge of the nest that when they fell off her back they missed the nest and went on down to the floor. If you don't plan on a hen hatching eggs in them those nests should be OK. They might work for a hen to hatch in but that's getting closer to a problem.

Sometimes hens like to share a nest while laying. My typical nests are 16" x 16". I often see three hens in the nests at the same time, they have room. If the nest is only 11 x 11 or even 12 x 12 there is a lot less room for them to sit side by side even with just two hens. There are some photos on here of hens literally sitting on top of another hen in a smaller nest while they are both laying. It's not a huge deal, they manage, but you might get some interesting photos to share.

I also like a lip across the bottom opening to hold the bedding and eggs in. Chickens like to scratch as they adjust the nest before they lay an egg. If you don't have enough of a lip they can scratch bedding, fake eggs, or real eggs out of the nest. Different people use all kinds of different nests. Some people get by with a pretty shallow lip, it's amazing what will work for some people and not others. Personally I would not go with less than 3" above the nest floor but prefer 4" to 5".

In a tractor I used a nest with an opening for the hen to enter that was 6" high and 8" wide, full sized breeds like hatchery Delaware and Buff Orpington. They used it fine. The reason I tried a 6" opening was that my initial lip was not high enough and they were scratching eggs and bedding out. I don't know what your shelf looks like, whether it even has a top on it or not, or how you plan to mount it. I'm not sure of what you have to work with so I can't give too many specifics on what I'd do with it. But I do like reusing what is available and you should get something that will work.

 

[Saaniya]

I acquired a wall shelf that would be a perfect nesting box, the only thing is the openings are 11" x 11" and not 12" x 12" like most things recommend. Will that be a problem?
Thanks in advance for any help, we are new to the chicken life and don't want to mess up on the important parts!

In my suggestion a lil bigger then your hens size so she can move easily and stand easily