Nesting boxes... need one more?

[Lemon-Drop]

Hey there, I have 3 nesting boxes currently. I’ve heard 4 hens per box. It’s been plenty of nesting boxes for 6 hens, but now I have 13 for sure girls (added 7 10 week chicks), and 3 silkie chicks whom I don’t know the gender of. Let’s assume then it will be 15 hens since the chicks were SR. I can easily convert more space to add another nesting box. Should I do that? Currently they have 3 nest boxes.

BUT, the best boxes are 2’ long and 1’ wide, so a bit bigger than the average box. What do you think?

 

[springvalley123]

I would either split one of the 2x1 or add 1-2 more, so you have the 3-4 hens per box. they may or may not share the bigger boxes, especially since there'll be new pullets mixed in with the experienced hens. my younger birds, at least, seem reluctant to share a box and more tentative when they can't get their favorite box.

 

[NatJ]

I would wait and see how it goes, especially considering how big the nestboxes are.

When the younger ones start laying, if all the eggs are in one or two nestboxes, and there is at least one nestbox that never has any eggs. then no need to add others.

But if you find eggs in all nestboxes, add another nestbox at that time (and check the floor, just in case someone laid there too.)

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Thanks! I guess I will just watch and see if they need one more. It would be very easy to add another one.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Here is how I could add another.

Three nesting boxes are on the 8’ side of the coop. At the end is a storage bin in place of a fourth nesting box.

What I could do is remove everything from the box, cut a hole from the inside, and add a door (I enjoy having doors on the inside so I can close them if I’m moving new chicks into the coop and don’t want them to sleep in the nesting boxes, or to keep broody hens off the nests at night.)

I’m not a very good artist (at least on a phone) but I would cut where the red is and then add a piece of wood where the blue is and a hook. Then I would have an extra nesting box!

Though I might not need to do that, as you can see from these pictures how big the boxes are. The hen is named Minnie (just in case you were wondering)
(Also the small white egg is from Mochi a silkie)

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Oh yeah also the chickens are in a light molt so that’s why there are feathers everywhere (even though they’re still laying?)

 

[aart]

Oh yeah also the chickens are in a light molt so that’s why there are feathers everywhere (even though they’re still laying?)

Probably feathers from the youngsters going thru a juvenile molt.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Probably feathers from the youngsters going thru a juvenile molt.

That makes more sense! Thank you!