Nest Boxes

Your chickens need a quiet, protected place inside the coop where they can lay their eggs.  If they don’t feel comfortable in the nest boxes you have provided, then they may look for other locations in their environment to lay their eggs.

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Number of Boxes

It is recommended to have at least one nest box for every 3 to 4 hens so they will always have a place to go when they are ready to lay.

Size of Boxes

The following table provides general guidelines about the best dimensions for a nest box based on breed size:

Location of Boxes

Nest boxes should ideally be raised about 45 cm off the ground either by directly securing them to a wall or creating a sturdy platform.  If you have young pullets who are learning how to use nest boxes, you may wish to start them closer to the ground and then gradually increase the height once they have the basic idea mastered.  Placing plastic eggs or golf balls inside the nest can also encourage them to lay there.

Nest boxes should be located in an area that is not very busy and free from loud noises or moving animals, people, or objects that could disrupt the birds when they are laying. The nest boxes should also ideally be against a wall where they will not be in direct sunlight from windows as birds prefer dark spaces that are not too warm.

Nest Box Features

Other design features you probably want to include are:

  • A rail in the front so that they have a place to land before getting into the nest box, which will help prevent them from damaging the eggs
  • A lip on the front of the nest box that is at least 10 cm high to prevent eggs and bedding from rolling out when the hens snuggle down into the bedding material
  • A 45° sloped roof above the nest to prevent birds from perching there

An optional extra is adding curtains that can provide a little extra privacy.  However, just be careful because some birds may not realise that there is a nest behind there. You may need to leave the curtains drawn open while they get used to it.

Nest Box Materials

Nest boxes are usually made from either wood or plastic and also occasionally metal.  Plastic is easier to keep clean and is better for keeping mites away. 

It is important to have soft bedding inside the nest box to keep your hens comfortable, prevent eggs from breaking, and keep your hens warmer in winter months. The most popular options are nesting box pads, wood shavings, hemp bedding, and straw.

Nesting Box Pads

Advantages

  • Easier to keep clean
  • Harder for chickens to displace bedding

Disadvantages

  • Slightly more expensive

Wood Shavings

Advantages

  • Inexpensive
  • Easy to source
  • Absorbent

Disadvantages

  • Avoid native sawdust shavings (i.e. Totara) as the aroma can be irritating
  • If not dust-extracted shavings, then can also be irritating

Hemp Bedding

Advantages

  • Natural anti-bacterial and pest repellent properties
  • Highly absorbent
  • Compostable

Disadvantages

  • Can be difficult to source

Straw

Advantages

  • Inexpensive
  • Easy to source
  • Compostable

Disadvantages

  • Unpleasant odours
  • Difficult to keep clean
  • Needs frequent replacing

Materials you should avoid are cat litter, hay, newspaper, grass clippings, sand, and cedar shavings. 

Nest Box Cleaning

As part of your egg-collecting routine, you should remove any soiled bedding, feathers, and droppings to keep the nest boxes clean.  The bedding should ideally be replaced completely at least once per month.  Mixing diatomaceous earth in with the nest box material can help to control external parasites like lice and mites.

Nest boxes and subsequently eggs can easily become soiled if the chickens are allowed to roost in the nests during the night. Avoid this by closing the nest boxes or have them slightly tilted to discourage hens from remaining in nest boxes over the night.

It is also important to make sure the roost bars are elevated above the nest box since birds will naturally look for the highest place to roost. In the coop shown to the right, the birds would probably rather roost in the nest boxes than on the lower two roost bars.