Nesting boxes

[justvalerie]

I'm new to the chicken community and have so many questions! I have 8 hens, a small coop, about 4x6x4 and a large fully enclosed run 10x 16. My hens are about 14 weeks old and I need to add nesting boxes. My coop has 1 window, the chiclen door on the run on the outside for me to get in and clean. The coop is pretty dark and I'm wondering if I need a light in it for the chickens to lay or should I put nesting boxes in the run close to the coop in a private corner?

 

[Kiki]

Welcome!
Can you go take a few pictures of your coop real quick?

Sounds like you may not have enough ventilation and that will be a huge problem soon.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
I recommend starting a second thread in the Coop and Run forum with pictures of your setup. I agree you may be seriously lacking in ventilation.
You can install bump out nest boxes to conserve space in your small coop.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Generally, hens prefer a quiet, darker place to lay. Here are some helpful links:

• Great go-to resource - Articles
• How to start a new thread
• Find other BYC members nearby using the links in my signature, below (turn your phone to landscape to see them).

Best wishes


Pork Pie

 

[justvalerie]

We were going to put in another window would a small exhaust fan be better. The coop does have power to it.

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

Love your coop! Hi and welcome

 

[cmom]

Not knowing the layout of the inside of your coop and where you live, @DobieLover had a good suggestion of making bump out nest boxes. My coops all have the nest boxes so I have access to them without going into the coops. With 8 birds, you only need a couple of nest boxes or one community nest box. Often times the birds will use one. Where one bird lays the rest often times want to lay in the same nest box. I also put golf balls in the nest boxes. I thinks it helps to get the birds to lay in them. No need for a light. Good ventilation is good to have. Good luck and have fun.
This coop was given to me. There is wire around the top of the coop but it doesn't show up in the pic.

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to BYC.

 

[cmom]

I do have night lights in my coops. When I hatch out my chicks they have light so they get used to it. My DH and a friend built these coops. They left one side open. I put tarps up over the open sides. This is an owl that went through some crappy netting that was covering those pens which I have since replaced with some good heavy duty netting. The lights in the coops look brighter than they actually are. They are 1 watt LCD bulbs. The coop on the very left has wire over the open side but is deeper than the other two.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Definitely add more windows, chickens need natural lighting for good mental and physical health. Many of their hormonal responses rely on cues from natural light and sunlight. Good luck with your flock and welcome to ours!