Nesting boxes? how many per chicken?!

[The_Miraculous_Pigmy_Owl]

Hello peepers! I need help! I am thinking about getting 3 more hens, and don't know how many nesting boxes I need to have! another thing too I'm getting 2 blue silkies in march that will be old enough to be outside but with 3 coming this week and/or month and 2 later this year I don't know how many nesting boxes I need to have with a total of 10 chickens! Why is chicken math sooooooo confusing!!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I do a minimum of two boxes with one per 4 hens....for your proposed flock I would do 3

 

[The_Miraculous_Pigmy_Owl]

Thanks!

 

[The_Miraculous_Pigmy_Owl]

that is perfect

 

[The_Miraculous_Pigmy_Owl]

we actually have three as of today

 

[flyin-lowe]

I have 16 hens and three nest boxes and most of the time they only use two of them. I will come out and find 4 eggs in one 5 in another and the third one empty. They use them all but typically not at the same time. I have watched two hens in one at the same time with a third one waiting and 2 other empty ones. Mine are weird when it comes to choosing a nest box for the day.

 

[starri33]

I currently have only two in my coop for 12 hens, but I am building a new coop, once completed, I will put the 6 nest boxes back in. The girls have also taken to laying in the roost/nest box of the TSC coop I have. I've read that it's one nest box per 4 hens as a rule. Even with 6 nest boxes available, they'd still only use two maybe three of them..lol.

 

[SueT]

I have 9 hens, 4 boxes, all of which are used. Which box is most popular changes week by week. For a while the double wide wooden nest was in demand, but most recently the favorites are 2 plastic milk crates upright on the floor. However, everyone is on sabbatical for the winter, and who knows what will happen in the spring when laying resumes....

 

[aart]

I have 4 nests for 17 layers....wish I had 1 more nest or fewer layers.
Fake egg in every nest helps 'spread the love'.
I have a separate floor nest for a broody.