What do hens really want from nesting boxes?

[TwoCrows]

My hens love their golf balls, though I'm currently testing to see if 2 golf balls make a box more tempting than 1 (apparently the answer is "no" ).

Glad to hear some birds are ok with them! My birds can't be fooled by golf balls and will kick them right out of the boxes.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Glad to hear some birds are ok with them! My birds can't be fooled by golf balls and will kick them right out of the boxes.

You should add a tee and mini club and see how far they can get them

 

[alwaystj9]

All my hens are full size models. I have 20-something on 12+ hours free range, the rest of the time in a pen with multiple small coops/sheds. #1 favorite is a 14x14 hay filled box with solid high sides and curtains. #2 favorite is a milk crate with hay on the ground under another nest box that no one ever uses. #3 is a big plastic water jug on it's side & end cut off, full of debris. #4 is an old metal drawer from an old desk, on the ground in another little shed. There are 6 other nest boxes that remain barren. I don't see a pattern or logic.

 

[Molly77]

Chickens do tend to pick one box and stick with it, even if there is a waiting line 3 deep! They follow each other in laying because if the last hen was safe laying their egg in a particular box, then it must be safe for the next hen. And so it helps to keep fake ceramic eggs, (not golf balls) in each box to appear as if all the boxes can be a potential spot to lay.

All hens have the potential to become broody, something deep in their genes will always tug at this basic instinct. Broodies like dark quiet corners and another helpful thing hens may like is curtains on the front of the boxes. This creates a darkened space for a hen to hide and secretly lay her egg. Curtains also help prevent egg eating, exposed eggs are always a target for a mid morning snack. Hidden away, eggs are less likely to be eaten, out of sight, out of mind.

Here's my set up. There are 2 boxes here. See the slits? Hen slips in, lays her egg and slips out. At first you may need to peel open one side until they get used to slipping in between the fabric. These are attached at the top of the boxes with industrial staples.
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I love the curtains! Going to add those.

 

[Dominique King]

My 6 young Buff Orpington hens are laying (a lot), and I had a 4-slot wood nesting box from a kit that is 11" x 11" x 12" inside the boxes. The hens barely fit, look really crammed in there and they can't stand up. I watched one lay an egg and it seemed like some repositioning and fidgeting around accompanied getting an egg out, so I built them 3 bigger boxes that are 18" x 18" x 12" inside. Put them in and the hens don't seem to like it. Do they just hate any change by default, or do they prefer to be in the nesting box super tight? I was surprised I couldn't find extra large wood nesting boxes so I had to build them. Now I'm wondering if that's because no one wants that.View attachment 3955450

Did you build that yourself? Because if so it looks beautiful! With my experience, I built 12x12 and 14x14 boxes and they love them just fine.
What kind of nesting material do you use? That might also come into play.

 

[Dominique King]

I use hay in mine. I tried using wood shavings in some of the boxes and they rejected the ones with shavings in them and only laid in the ones with hay. So the nesting material makes a difference for mine.