Position of nest boxes vs. roosts

[Eric in NC]

Designing my coop and want to make sure I have things right.

The nest boxes should be elevated a bit off the floor but not as high as the roost poles right?

Should the boxes be as far from the roost as reasonably possible or does that not matter?

Any other hints/tips on relative placement of the boxes and roosts?

 

[TaLani]

. The nest boxes should be a good 18 inches off the floor for standard size hens, but maybe a bit lower if u have bantams. The higher the better for the roosting rods. In our coop we have the roosting rods on the left side of the coop/shed (8' x 8') and the nest boxes are on the right side of the coop/shed. It really doesn't matter where u put the nest boxes, but the hens will prefer them in the darkest part of the coop. Hope that helps. Where in NC are u located?

 

[BUMPKIN]

I did my first ones close to the roosts, but lower, and some of them roosted and pooped in them every night.

Moved them around to L shape and a little lower. Still have at least three that i have to go every night and move to the roost. My second yard, the roosts are further away from the nests and so far no problems. So, my advice is to put them away from the roosts.

 

[@migocontodos~]

You are right on the mark Eric...lower and as far away as possible from the roosting poles.
Locating them there SHOULD entice the chickens to go to the roosting poles.

I always placed my nest where the back of the nest caught the rising sun. This darkens the front of the nest which helps give the layers that idea of a dark place to lay.
I have 3 nest that face the east and they are VERY seldome used.

After I had 2 encounters with snakes in the coop (I hate that)..I moved the nest boxes out into the runs and mounted them to the wall, again, still facing the west.

They continued to use them after moving them outside as well.

Enjoy the chickens

 

[Eric in NC]

Thanks for the info folks.

I am near Randleman, NC (central part of the state, below Greensboro) - quite a ways from Bryson City!

 

[Nathan]

Let's say you follow the advice of this thread and have roosts at 3 feet high and nest boxes at 18 inches high.

Will the chickens jump/ fly straight up to the three foot high roost or will they need an intermediate step of some sort? Can they also jump right up to the nest box entrance?

Thanks

 

[onthespot]

my nest boxes are three feet high and have a narrow entrance and my large fowl birds have no trouble getting up there and are very good about using them.

 

[scooter147]

Nathan,

Your chickens should have no trouble getting to a 3 foot high roost.

Although, this year I had several hens that lost almost all of their wing feathers during their molt and had to be helped every night.

 

[Nathan]

That answers my question then. I'll be able to put up some roosts three feet high without building any ladders.

 

[onthespot]

if it's any consolation, I have even had a silkie that somehow would flail her way up into that three foot high nestbox to lay her egg!!! I never saw her do it, but I did find her egg in there several times before I moved her. It was easy to tell which egg was hers, as she was in with marans.