RATIO OF CHICKENS TO NEST BOXES

[LuckyCluck54]

Can I get by with two nest boxes for 6 chickens?

 

[N F C]

Yep, you sure can, two boxes is enough for 6 girls.

We have 15 girls and they share 4 boxes. They all seem to have one favorite box and that box rotates from day to day. Sometimes they'll even squeeze in next to each other in the same box.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

I actually have to disagree with NorthFLChick. It's best to have 1 nest for every 1-3 hens you own. If you don't then you have a higher chance of having to deal with wars between hens, broken eggs and stress in the henhouse. Plus hens might go off and find their own place to lay if there aren't enough nests.

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! It also depends on the traits of the hens you own, if your hens tend to go broody a lot you'll want extra boxes, if you have a couple of dominant hens that won't share you'll want extra boxes etc.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

In my limited experience, 2 boxes were enough for 4 hens. However, when my 5 pullets began to lay, 2 boxes were not nearly enough for the 9 layers. So, I don't think 1 nest box for every 6 hens is enough. With 2 boxes, my hens were getting overcrowded and getting upset (and very vocal about it), especially on days when they all synced and wanted to lay at the same time. I now have 4 regular nest boxes for the 9 layers, but sometimes there's still small a traffic jam, especially since they all mostly prefer the same 1-2 boxes, but at least there are other options if they really have to go. I also added one outside of the coop (my chickens free range in my yard), since one of them will lay in the middle of the lawn if her preferred boxes are occupied. Then 2 weeks ago, one of my hens went broody and refused to move from everyone's favorite box, so I had to set up a separate nest and broody area for her so that she wouldn't get disturbed and so her vigilance wouldn't cause more traffic jams. So in all, for 9 hens, I now currently have 4 boxes in the coop, 1 nest box outside the coop, and a temporary nest for the broody. I no longer have major hen squabbles and squawking over the nest boxes and my days are a lot quieter.