Next boxes question

[NattiFan]

It's been a while since i've posted. Well the girls are just over 4 weeks old now, and the coop is in progress. The walls are up, the roof is on and shingled, doors are cut, and the framing for the attached run is about half way finished. So as my hired help, father in law, who is doing a great job of helping me, and over looking my lack of carpentry skills, takes a break for the weekend for a couple fishing tournaments, I think I am going to get started on my next boxes. So I need some advice.......we've got 6 girls. I've heard that one nest box will be fine for 2 to 3 hens....to me that seems tight so I am thinking about building 4. Is there any reason why I can't have my nest boxes sitting on the floor of the coop? I'm a little limited in space....I could fit three across the end of the coop I want them at, but not 4 as I have only I think 41 inches of wall space where I want to put my nests boxes. Will 3 nest boxes be enough for 6 hens? Ok, so I guess there's 2 or 3 questions in there.....Thanks in advance.....pics have been taken...I'll post when all is finished....

natti

 

[Bammy]

I have a 6 x 8 Amish built coop with the 6 nest boxes on the floor. I added a 1 x 3 board in front to keep the hay inside and made it more nestlike. I did have to add "curtains" to the front because they would only use the end one. Privacy issue I guess. They use them all now.

 

[Baymen Moe]

3 boxes are fine. I have 3 for 14 layers, no problems. On the floor is fine as well although mine are off the floor 18 inches.

 

[NattiFan]

Quote:
Thank you. I think I will go with three on the floor. I'm a little tight on space and three on the floor would allow me to add a roost above the them up in the wall. thank you

 

[Grungybones]

I think 3 is fine as well. But... Chickens are a sickness.. If you are even thinking about expanding at a later point it might be easier to put them in now. I've got 14 layers with 8 boxes.. just in case. Of course you may have more self control than I do.

 

[teach1rusl]

Three is more than enough.
I guess I'd ask how tall your coop is, because if it's tall enough, I'd elevate the nest boxes @18 inches so that you don't lose floor space (unless you have ample floor space already). You don't lose floor space with roosts, so those can actually go anywhere, especially if you do a dropping plank/board. You would really need more roost space than 41 inches anyhow, so doing them above the nest box would not give you 10-12 inches of roost space for each bird. How long is the "long" side of your coop? Could you place the roosts along that side?

 

[Chickaholic]

I have three on the floor and they just use them as "potty boxes" We are in the process of building them on the wall up off the floor, but I think I will still leave one on the floor because my coop is pretty clean!! It's easier to clean out a box rather than the whole coop!! hopefully they don't use the ones on the wall as potty boxes too!!