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Nest Boxes And Nesting Area For Chickens

25 16:36:12

Hens will always seek out dark, quiet and secluded places to lay their eggs. By providing a suitable nest box within the coop, you can provide your hens with their ideal laying environment and a space where you know their eggs will be clean and protected and easy for you to find! Many traditional wooden hen houses have the nest box protruding at the side and access via a top locking lid, so you can open it and collect eggs with minimal disturbance to the hen-house as a whole. If you use this traditional layout always ensure that the nest box is kept locked or the lid is very heavy, as this is an unprotected outside area, it is easy for foxes to gain access to the house this way.

A nest box should be just a little larger than a crouching bird, around 12 inches square and about 9 inches high. Giving more height to a nest box is counterproductive, as the hen will try to sleep there and scratch around, potentially damaging the eggs. They will also foul the nest box more, meaning more work for you.

Nest boxes should be lined with soft dry litter, (which should be changed regularly) and raised from the ground, but ideally never higher than the perches. You just need to ensure that the bedding is sufficient and that it is comfortable for the chicken. Up to three hens will share one nesting box happily, but if you have three hens, two nest boxes will be better. Greater consideration should of course be given to the comfort of the box if the hen is to raise chicks rather than just use the box as a laying area.

Best type of nesting material

 

Hay: is not recommended for bedding, (see best type of bedding ) but it can be used for a nesting material. It is softer than straw and quite warm. however hay does not drain well and rots quickly and is particularly susceptible to spreading chicken mites, so if you use hay, dust it with mite powder.

Wood Shavings: this is not recommended if you are intending to hatch chicks, as the young chicks may mistake the shavings for food. You should also never use sawdust as its fine particles may cause respiratory problems in your chickens.

Shredded Newspaper: shredded newspaper is a good nesting material. It is warm, economical, absorbent and soft. You can shred your own paper, or contact a local business who may be able to supply you with their shredded paper.

Straw: straw, unlike hay, is a great nesting material and it is warm, absorbent and pleasing to the eye. Wheat straw is the best in terms of insulation and drainage, though oat and barley straw are also good. Change it often and dust it with mite powder to prevent chicken mite infestations.

The more comfort and privacy you give your hens to lay the more likely they are to use the nest boxes. However if you let them run free then don't be surprised to find you have to do a bit of searching around to find the eggs. If the weather is nice they may lay in bushes or on grass cuttings, in fact anywhere they feel safe and comfortable.