Nesting boxes

[Tmcfarland]

So, I’ve got 12 chickens with one of them being a rooster. My other 11 hens, I’m trying to figure out nesting boxes. I know they won’t be laying for a couple of months yet at least but I like to be ready. With 11 hens, how many nesting boxes should I have, best material to be made from, & what is the best material to put in them for the hens when they start to lay eggs?

 

[DobieLover]

Three boxes would be more than enough.
There are no bests. There are "what works for you and your coop".
I built mine out of scrap OSB and 2x2s with a drop down back that opens up inside the "chicken free zone" of my coop so I can collect the eggs. I made them 12x12x16" high on the interior with a 3" retaining lip in the front and a landing perch for them. I keep either a tight flake of straw for nesting material or a 3" thick layer of wood shavings. The nest boxes are positioned lower than the roost heights but high enough that I don't stoop to collect the eggs.

 

[aart]

I like wood and straw.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/albums/nests.7427682/

 

[DobieLover]

I like wood and straw.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/albums/nests.7427682/

Fluffy butts!!

 

[3KillerBs]

Theoretically, one box for every 4 hens.

Where, in general, are you located? Climate matters.

I'm in North Carolina and my nests are both vented and located inside my larger and well-ventilated coop because of the heat.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'll include some links so you can see what other people have done.

Nest boxes
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/41108/show-us-your-nest-boxes-ingenous-design-post-it-here/220

Nest Boxes
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-your-creative-nesting-boxes/80#post_12395882

Opa’s Rollaway Nest Box
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=287684

I agree with Dobie, there is no best. Some of us build nests out of various materials, some open at the top and some covered. Some are at ground level, some up high enough we don't have to bend over. I personally like to walk inside the coop to gather eggs, some people prefer to gather eggs from outside. Some people use things like buckets, bins, or milk crates. Reusing various furniture like bookshelves, cabinets, or dressers aren't that unusual if you look through those threads. I think one of those links shows where somebody used a kitchen sink. Some nests work OK for egg laying but may not be great for a broody hen to hatch in.

Different people use different bedding. I've seen people mention they use straw, hay, wood shavings, wood chips, shredded paper, Spanish moss, dried leaves, sand, carpet, rags, and feed bags (paper or plastic) to mention a few. I cut long grass from where I don't mow or weed eat and dry it, so it is pretty close to hay.

A suggested rule of thumb is a minimum of 12" x 12" and if you put a top on it, another 12" high. That should cover you whether you have a tiny Serema or a huge Jersey Giant. I've used smaller, worker great for laying but not so well to let a broody hen hatch in it. If I build them myself I use a 16" x 16" x 16". Not that it's better than all the others, it's just what I build.

 

[Tmcfarland]

Theoretically, one box for every 4 hens.

Where, in general, are you located? Climate matters.

I'm in North Carolina and my nests are both vented and located inside my larger and well-ventilated coop because of the heat.

I am in Michigan. Summers can be hot & winters can be cold. I’ve got the coop figured out to accommodate all types of weather.

 

[RubelliteRose]

We have 3 nest boxes made of wood and 4 made of dishpans separated by wood. All are filled with pine shavings. The favorite nest box rotates every few weeks to a different location. Currently, the favorite nest is a hole in the shavings beside the dishpan nest boxes

 

[3KillerBs]

I am in Michigan. Summers can be hot & winters can be cold. I’ve got the coop figured out to accommodate all types of weather.

If you have interior nests you probably want to vent them.

Exterior nests could be vented with top-hinged covers that you could close in the winter.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I’m in the UP and have nest boxes in the coop on a wall leading to the covered run. Egg collection in winter (Theoretically Nov-end of April) will require a seedling heat pad to keep eggs from freezing in my area as I work until evening. Something to think about.