Nesting Boxes

[Connor]

I figure some of the old plastic should work well for nesting boxes for the chickens however I'm wondering how I should arrange them

Can the boxes be stacked (ie. 2 boxes high) or should they be in a straight row?


Lets lets say the smilleies are boxes and I have six boxes, can it be set up like

or should it be

? Or does it matter?

 

[Bantimna]

I think it would be better:

 

[Connor]

Also, does every chicken need their own box?

 

[Kittymomma]

Mine are stacked and it seems to work out well--some like the bottom boxes and some like to be higher so everyone is happy. Rule of thumb is one boxe to every four hens. Most of the time they'll still just pick one or two favorites, but if you get a broody or have a hen or two that likes to take her own sweet time every morning the other girls will have some options.

 

[Agricola]

Quote:
No, they will share nest boxes. Probably at least three for four chickens per box. I have twenty hens and they usually only use three or four of the six boxes I have.

 

[Doug the Chicken Man]

They do share the nestboxes.
I have a picture of 3 in one box at the same time.
The fourth jumped out before I could take the picture.
There are other Nest Boxes which were empty.
They managed to not break the Egg you see in the picture

 

[The YardFarmers]

I've heard 1 nest box per 4 chickens. Ours share the nest boxes and will lay mostly in 1 or 2 of them. We have 12 chickens.
We have them stacked

they lay mostly in the bottom ones. I have seen a tip to put a little roost bar to make it easier for them to get in upper boxes.

How many chickens do you have? You could always set up a few, see how it goes, and modify it once you see how it works.
Let us know what you decide.

YardFarmer Julie

 

[RM44]

Quote:
I'm sure most of you experienced chicken keepers are used to scenes like this, but I am not, and this is one of the funniest pics I've seen. Great shot! I can't believe there was a fourth one in there too!

 

[Connor]

Quote:
I've got 10 coming, so right now I'm in the process of building the coup. I'll set it up so it'll be easy to change and rearange them.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I've got mine stacked

But they all seem to use the one on the bottom left