# How many nesting boxes?



## Reinerchick (May 10, 2013)

Ok, so this may be a stupid question but I've seen people have less nesting boxes than they do chickens. Is this bad? Ok? Normal? I'm going to be building my coop in the next week or so and I need to know. Does each chicken need to have their own nesting box? Also, how do you guys keep adding to your flock, I mean, where do you put them?? I want to have room later on in my coop so I can do the same thing. (chickens are very addicting!) lol. Thanks in advance!


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

I have 3 nesting boxes for 12 hens. You only need 1 box for every 3 or 4 hens. As for adding more hens to the flock and number of nesting boxes. Well I don't plan to add any more unless I see an issue. If I do need to add then I can add more by stacking or putting one more next to the ones I have.


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## Reinerchick (May 10, 2013)

Apyl said:


> I have 3 nesting boxes for 12 hens. You only need 1 box for every 3 or 4 hens. As for adding more hens to the flock and number of nesting boxes. Well I don't plan to add any more unless I see an issue. If I do need to add then I can add more by stacking or putting one more next to the ones I have.


Ok, cool! Thanks!!


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

if you think you will ever have one of your hens go broody (if you have buff orpingtons or silkies)
you may want 1 box for every 2 hens
2 of my 6 hens just went broody
this only left 1 box for everyone to lay in including my new pullets who are about to come "online"


good luck
piglett


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## TheLazyL (Jun 20, 2012)

I have 8 hens and two nesting boxes. They all lay in the same one box.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Same here....two nest boxes and they only use the one. Doesn't matter which one, whichever one gets an egg laid in it first...then they all want to lay where THAT hen is laying and will stand and wait for her to get finished as the other box sits empty. 

For broodies, you can always move them at night to a different location/box and these can be made out of just anything. My current broody is sitting a nest right in the bedding on the floor of the coop...she has slowly moved her nest and clutch out to the edge of the box I upturned over her nesting site and is just out in the open now~don't know why I bothered. Broodies will sit nests in the most unlikely of places, so they aren't too picky.










Pic of one of my nest boxes...these are made out of plastic totes and have outside access also~I put them outside the coop to increase total space. Depending on your coop style, nest boxes are easy to add or take away and you can make them out of just about anything and they will still serve the function.










And outside....


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

i took one of those plastic tubs that cat litter come in 
i removed the top & ran my saw straight down the sides & over the bottom making 2 half tubs
i layed them down & put them in my new broody cage
there is now a box in each corner & i moved the 2 broodys along with their eggs under the cover of darkness
they woke up in a new place & never said a word about it 

i layed out the huge sum of 88 cents at easter time for a dozen colored plastic eggs
i put 1 in each nest box & for the most part they are now using all of the nests


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

I LOVE repurposing things! Kudos to you, P! I'm frugal thattaway too....love to make something out of nothing.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

Bee said:


> I LOVE repurposing things! Kudos to you, P! I'm frugal thattaway too....love to make something out of nothing.


i enjoy going to the dump & getting just about everything i need to make a new brooder. i did have to buy the brooder lamp & that was about it


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