Settle the nesting box discussion please

[Gwendolyn]

My husband and I are building a coop for our six peeps. Both of researched the coop building on different sites. I am following what I have learned on this forum and site. Most of what I have read is that you only need 2-3 nesting boxes for 6 chickens. I read they like to share. He read (on another site) that they each need their own box and will produce more if they have their own boxes. I like the idea of having a little more room to play inside the coop. We are planning on building a 8x3 coop and a 8x8 run. Any experience out there with your chickens and their nesting box usage vs egg production?

 

[rooster0209]

I used the info that I got off here.

I have 6 nesting boxes for 22 hens. 4 get used at the most. ...........................so does the cat box in the barn

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
You're right, your husband is WRONG. I have six nesting boxes that came with our prefab coop. We have 9 laying chickens and they use 2, MAYBE three of them and they will actually wait and squabble over the favorite nesting box. I have never heard a correlation between the number of nesting boxes and egg production.
Good luck with this one. I suspect if he is building the coop you will have a nest box for each hen!

 

[Gwendolyn]

Adozengirlz, that made me laugh, you are right. He is building the coop for me! But they are my chickens and my coop, so he may let me have some say on the nesting boxes.

I'm thinking three boxes since the dimensions of the coop are 3 x 8 and the boxes could be on the end giving them lots of room to play in the remainder of the coop on those cold days.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Of course...there's always an argument to be made that SOME day (and I'll bet it's some day SOON) you may (WILL) have more than six chickens, so...why not say 3 or 4 boxes for good measure and to keep the hubby happy?