Your nesting boxes should be positioned up off the ground at least a few inches to provide the laying hens with some privacy and to keep other birds from scratching around the eggs, potentially stepping on them and breaking them.
The height of the nest box should be no less than 18 inches from the floor and can be as high as a few feet off the ground. They should not be at the same height as your roosting bars, or you may find your hens sleeping in the boxes! Although this is not a major catastrophe, you will get tired of mucking out the nest boxes each morning.
Why do chickens need nesting boxes?
The first, and main, reason why chickens sleep in nesting boxes is the nest box is higher than the roost. The second reason chickens might opt for a nest box instead of the roost is that your coop has mites. Some additional things to take a look at are: cleaning and ventilation problems, age, wrong size or type of roost, injury, or broody hens.
A good nesting box discourages roosting both inside and out. The problem with many homemade nest boxes is that they have a flat top/roof. To a chicken, this presents a nice area to sleep on. After a few nights, the top of your nesting boxes will be disgusting.
You could be asking “What is a nesting box for chickens?”
A nesting box help to provide your hens a safe, individual location for laying eggs. It also give privacy to your shy hens. Nest boxes also help to keep your hens from trying to lay eggs in secluded corners of the chicken coop or outdoors.
Chicken nesting boxes need a lip on the front to keep the nesting material and egg inside. They need to be accessible. Collect the eggs regularly to prevent broody hens and broken eggs. Buy freshly milled organic chicken feed shipped direct from the fields of the midwest.
Can I put a nest box on the floor?
You can have your nest boxes sitting right on the floor if you’d like. I have mine raised about 2 ft, so as to not waste floor space. But chickens seem pretty fine with any level when it comes to nest boxes.
Can you put a nesting box in a coop?
Your chicken coop can have wooden nesting boxes, metal boxes, egg crates, plastic tubs, or just about anything you can think of. Find out everything you need to know about chicken nesting boxes here. Hens will lay eggs in just about anything, but if you don’t have any soft material inside you will end up with a lot of broken eggs.
Do hens like to scratch nesting boxes?
Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, hens love to scratch in the nesting material and they will toss out most of the material likely before they even lay their egg. There are ways to help keep the material inside the nesting boxes such as having deeper nesting boxes, or if you are using a deep container.
Do I need a nesting box with dividers?
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. Below: Nesting boxes are best divided up. A communal nest doesn’t work, because they break the eggs.