How many laying boxes do i need

Chickens do like to perch before they start nesting in their coop, so provide something for the chicken to roost on as well. Put some sand, straw, wood shavings or hay in the bottom of the box and you have a comfortable nesting box for your chickens. If you have a lot of ducks or a mixed flock then make sure you have plenty of floor mounted boxes as ducks prefer them. Ducks don't always use nest boxes but some do.

Most folks use one nest box for every birds and this is the figure I always recommend. If you have a lot of chickens you can get away with one for every 6 or 8. Personally, I'd rather have one too many than one too few. Unless your area has a year round mild climate then you may get away with one less. You can also take 1 out if they never use it. For example if you have 15 hens and 5 or six may want to lay at once in the morning and they can't all have the same box.

If I have only 3 to 6 birds in a coop I've started only using 1 to 2 boxes. A flock of 15 chickens should get by with 4 nesting boxes. They like to follow each other. It's not uncommon for me to find two or three of my bantams sharing one of the larger nests but I would in general plumb for the same number for bantam chickens as you would for large fowl. For bantams the boxes should be a little smaller and cosy. They don't have to be, I have bantams that happily use the boxes made for the big girls but I do provide them with a choice.

I've read various dimensions recommended for the boxes and as I have mostly heavy birds like Barnevelders I use 16 inch cubes. If you have smaller birds 12 X 12 or 14 x 14 is quite sufficient. Anything less than 12 x 12 seems cramped to me. Keep in mind that the nest boxes don't even have to go in until the birds are around 16 or 17 weeks. Mine are 16 x 16 and the Orpingtons fit just fine as do my Indian runner ducks, for most there is room to spare but none of the birds seem to mind.

Nest boxes are normally, well, boxes. They don't need to have a top on but it does help to keep your ladies feeling comfortable if they are enclosed. You might not think so given the pictures you've probably seen of hens stuffed in a nesting box but it is always best to plan to give them sturdy comfortable a separate places to lay their eggs. Stacking nesting boxes is fine although typically they'll all wait in line for one or two.

There is no reason that you can't stack your chickens nesting boxes on top of each other. They are sometimes sold in blocks of four or nine which are two or three high respectively. Vertical nest boxes are OK as well. The hens won't realise they are one above the other when they are on the nest I have never had any problems with my hens using stacked, vertical or shelf mounted nesting boxes? I have made use of stackable storage bins as nest boxes in the past.

The only thing I would say about plastic is it is very lightweight and should be properly secured to prevent injuries and broken eggs. I have one nest box with dividers and one without. You can always try the community nest box, and then add a divider later if one of your hens is territorial and likes her privacy.

A communal nest doesn't work, because they break the eggs. Nest boxes need to be secure. Flapping chickens can tip up unsecured boxes trapping birds, causing injuries and breaking eggs. Not only will your hens be laying less if they feel overcrowded and stressed, but they are more likely to break their eggs and lay smaller eggs. The bottom line is that there will be unrest in the coop.

There are a number of materials you can use to line a nesting box. Pine shavings are very similar and are better at masking odors. The key is to lay the bedding deep enough and in a formation so that it will cradle the egg without letting it roll out. Make sure you pad them out with plenty of soft bedding, collect the eggs every morning, and keep them nice and clean. This way, you minimize the risk of running into problems.

As I detailed above, however, there is always a chance that your hens will demand more nesting space. Many types of feeders available today are designed to prevent feed from being scratched out to reduce wasted feed and lower your overall feed bill.

Depending on where you are located, your chickens can nearly survive strictly by foraging for their food on a good size piece of property. With a timer that can be set to release varying amounts of pelletized feed, you can provide your chickens the sustenance they require while still allowing them the opportunity to act upon their natural instincts.

Because chickens spend most of their active time outside of the chicken coop, generally two to three square feet per chicken is sufficient space. Remember, you will need to provide space to roost at night and space for the nesting boxes. If you plan on keeping them cooped up full-time then 8 — 10 square feet per chicken would do, counting the outside run.

In this case, more is always better. If you are planning on buying or building a mobile chicken coop, space requirement is minimized because it offers you the ability to frequently move the coop and chickens onto fresh ground. How many nest boxes will I need for my hens? If you asked a slick nest box salesman, he would probably tell you the answer is one box for every hen and then tell you how much he likes you and how he is willing to give you a great deal if you buy today.

However, there are plenty of poultry supply companies that sell nest boxes and the answer they should give you is approximately one nest box for every 5 — 6 hens. In fact, one six-hole nest box would probably be sufficient for 25 laying hens, or 6 extremely pampered laying hens.

Because we are dealing with an animal that we may eat or eat the eggs from, I prefer to recommend the more natural alternatives for treatment opposed to chemical use. Chickens can be dusted with DE to treat lice and mites, and it can be mixed with their feed to control worms. See Also: How do I care for ducklings and goslings? Should I heat my chicken coop in the winter? What is a nest box? What is a roost? What is a waterer? What is bedding or litter? What is good chicken coop flooring?

Related Items:. Poultry Waterer, 2 sizes In Stock. In Stock. Chicken Saddle In Stock. Cozy Coop Heater In Stock. The Chicken Swing In Stock. Grit with Probiotics, 5lb bag In Stock. A: With all the investment you've made in your flock, you don't want your precious chicken, duck, or goose eggs to be laid just anywhere in the yard where they can become lost or spoil before you find them.

Providing your birds with the correct number of nesting boxes that are sized and situated properly can help ensure that your flocks' eggs remain fresh and clean and are easy to collect in a timely manner. Nest box needs are different for chickens, ducks, and geese.