Vertical nest boxes okay?

[stretchc1]

I need to include two nest boxes in my soon-to-be-built coop. There would be a space-saving advantage for me if I could put the nest boxes on top of one another instead of side-by-side. I read on BYC that the nest boxes should be lower than the lowest roost to keep the chickens from roosting in the boxes.

Does that mean that the little perch outside the box needs to be lower? Or does that mean that the top of the opening of the box needs to be lower than the roost (if there won't be an exposed "lid" or "roof" on the boxes for the birds to sit on)?

Is there any advantage to having the boxes side-by-side? Does it matter?

Thanks!

 

[pattyjean73]

Interesting question. I'd like to see some opinions on this myself. Like you, it would save me some space if I could stack them.

 

[patandchickens]

Basically you don't want anywhere perchable to be competing, in their feathery little brains, with the roost for "highest space available" designation. If they can't perch on the roof of the boxes, it's the entrance lip that matters, but if the roofs are flat then *that's* what matters. You don't want them to have to take a tape measure to it to decide which is higher, you know?

My gut feeling is that chickens are more likely to see side-by-side nestboxes as both equally worth using, than if they were over-and-under. However I have not tried the latter myself (I'm sure those who have will report) and surely it would be better than just *one* nestbox.

Another way to save space is to put the boxes under the roost and use the top of the nestboxes (with large overhang) as a droppings board. This is how I'm set up, and it works really well.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[stretchc1]

Thanks, Patandchickens. I think the idea about side-by-sides being more desireable makes sense, in a "chicken-y" kind of way. I'm going to go with my original plan.