One of those days - not enough nestboxes!

[gritsar]

I have 13 hens and they've had four nestboxes since they started laying, about 19 months ago. Four has always been enough.

Today, however, is one of those days.

I was just out to the coop and there's a run on nestboxes.

Two boxes are holding three hens a piece.
Two boxes are holding two hens a piece.
Three hens are waiting in line and not exactly being patient about it.

What do you do on the days when there's not enough nestboxes?

 

[FairfieldChicks]

make more nest boxes

 

[FairfieldChicks]

I used a white old bookshelf, put a trim all around it, and dividers in the centre of each shelf, plus a thin back onto it, I have 6 or 8 spots for my hens to lay, and only have 7hens right now... they seem quite happy

you can use old milk crates, and almost anything you can fill with straw, fill a shallow box with straw and set it inside the door of your coop, Im sure they would use it

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I would, my nestboxes are extra large covered litter pans, so I could run to town and buy some; except I'm hoping this is a rare occurence. I have plans for the space where I would have to put any more nestboxes - more chicks in May!

If this keeps up for more than a day or two, I guess more nestboxes will be installed.

 

[Keri78]

My girls have six nestboxes that NEVER have been used even once!!! They prefer to lay one big communal nest!

I have a couple of wrap around shelves inside my barn with lots of comfy hay on them and that's where they lay! Usually the corners are the hot spots but most days they all end up laying in the same corner! Go figure! Maybe just get/build some cheap shelves (with ledges) don't want any roll aways!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Thinking I might add some hay to a milk crate and tuck that in there for today. The rush has slowed down now and only one box has two hens in it. I haven't removed eggs yet, hoping for a broody.
Just hope I don't end up with any broken eggs from the scuffle. Silly girls.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

My hens ignore the nestboxes, and made one small nest in the back left corner of the coop, and a bigger nest in the front right corner of the coop. I gather about 8 eggs a day from my 12 hens, and sometimes there are hens stacked on top of hens. Once there was 3 in a kind of pyramid.. whoever laid first, squeezed out, and the others just settled lower. totally ridiculous. chickens.