The main purpose of nesting boxes for chickens is for their laying eggs in a safe and clean area, and they will also get privacy and peace there. If a nest is properly built, and eggs are safely kept, it will be easier for collecting them.
Chickens are not mindful about the place of laying eggs, thus a nesting box means they can roam around the farm freely and there will be no hassle in finding the eggs.
At Easter time no one wants to hunt for the eggs because then it will be a waste of fun. Not just for Easter for business or eating purposes you can just normally take out the eggs and have them at your table.
For the material of the chicken coop, you can use plastic and metal which are easy to scrub the dirt, you can keep it clean and sanitized too.
On the other hand, you can also go for a traditional wooden box which is easy to make but will be a little harder to clean. Now, let’s have more information on chicken next boxes and how many you should have per bird.
How many nest boxes per chicken
It will depend on the size of the flock you have. However, it’s not healthy to cram all birds in a single box. You must let them have their space for laying eggs and having privacy while doing it.
There is a debate about how many hens should be in one box, and some say it should be 5 in one box, then others state that it should be three to four chickens.
However, the department of environment food and rural affairs states that one box should contain seven chickens. But this is based on the size of your hens. If they have small sizes then they can accommodate seven hens. Normally, you can always go for 4 chickens in one coop.
How many nesting boxes for 10 chickens
As per the chicken boxes and the numbers of birds, you can have at least 3 coops for ten hens. If you have more than ten chickens then go for four boxes which are enough for the entire flock.
These boxes will help the chicken be comfortable and lay their eggs in peace. You can always take out the eggs without the hassle of hunting them from all over your yard.
If you have a few boxes for your chickens then there will be some issues inside the pens. If one or two chicken feels they are not comfortable inside the coop they will be stressed, and this can make them sick.
They will stop drinking, and eating, and cease giving eggs too. If this happens it will be difficult to get them to a normal lifestyle.
You have to do almost everything to free the hens from stress, and the initial thing you have to do is to provide them with proper living conditions.
If you are unable to provide a good living space then the chickens will start fighting, and it’s not a good thing to watch. You have to make sure that the chickens don’t hurt the other. After this, there will be a problem with laying eggs.
This will start with fewer eggs, when they feel there’s not enough space, the sizes will be small. The main thing is there will be chaos inside the coop and this is not what you want, all you need stress free, healthy chickens who can peacefully lay their eggs and wander around happily.
What size should a chicken nesting box be
When you have chickens like Plymouth rocks, Sussex, Leghorns, and hybrid layers they require 12 inches x 12 inches x 12 inches. This is the perfect fit for your hens and they can have their peace too.
However, when you have larger hens like Jersey giants, you will need 12 inches in depth, 14 inches in width, and 12 inches in height for the boxes.
If you have Bantam chickens then for them you can have a bit smaller pen which should be 10 inches in depth, 12 inches in width, and 10 inches in height.
These measurements will be enough for the chickens to not get stressed and lay their eggs peacefully. If the hens get too much space they will kick the hay and other materials on the box ground, and it will also discourage them to huddle up together and lay eggs inside the pen. Thus, make sure the coop is properly measured and make sure the hens are comfortable inside it,
What to put in chicken nesting boxes
The nesting boxes for chickens must have some things for them to lay eggs on a soft and safe platform. No matter the number of pens you have to keep things like cedar shavings which are easier to clean and they are soft too.
You can go for pine shavings which are better and masks the odor from chickens. You can use any kind of shavings if you are on a budget then you can go for grass clippings and shredded paper.
The main purpose of it is to prepare good bedding and it is just deep enough so that it can keep the eggs safe, and you have to make sure it doesn’t roll out of the bed.
Go for wood shavings, sawdust, and straw for the bedding and you have to replace them in a few weeks to keep the place clean and sanitized. Cleaning the nest will keep your hens happy, and encourage them to lay their eggs, and it will be big in size.
3 Best Nesting Boxes for Multiple Chicken
Homestead Essentials Compartment Roll Out Nesting Box for 15 Hens
Brower 410B 10-Hole Poultry Nest
DUNCAN’S FAMILY FARM STORE 6 Hole Standard Hen Nest
For Further reading
Summary
You have to encourage the hens to lay eggs and for that, you can place golf balls or plastic eggs in the nest, this will stimulate their urge for the eggs. You have to collect the eggs every day, but mostly chickens add eggs to the existing cycle rather than starting a new circle.
Keep the nests clean and sanitized, and try not to irritate the hens while they are laying eggs. Once the chickens accept the nest as their safe place for laying eggs, they will return every day to do their job without requiring any push from you.
