When raising backyard chickens, providing them with a safe and comfortable place to lay their eggs is essential. But what size chicken nest box is ideal? Getting the dimensions right helps promote hen health, reduce egg breakage, and keeps the coop clean.
After years of experience and experimenting with different nest box sizes, I’ve learned what works best. In this complete guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about picking the perfect nest box size for your flock.
Why Nest Box Size Matters
Nest box size impacts
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Hen comfort – A cramped space causes stress.
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Egg cleanliness – Overcrowding leads to soiled eggs.
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Egg damage – Too small and eggs get cracked
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Broodiness – Oversized boxes encourage setting.
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Use frequency – Ill-sized boxes go unused.
By optimizing the size, you minimize these problems and create an environment where hens happily lay to their full potential.
Recommended Chicken Nest Box Dimensions
The ideal nest box size depends on your hen’s breed size:
- Bantams: 10” W x 10” D x 12” H
- Standard breeds: 12” W x 12” D x 14” H
- Large fowl: 14” W x 12” D x 14” H
These dimensions provide ample room for the hen to turn around, nest, and lay her egg comfortably without feeling crowded.
For broody hens incubating eggs, make the box 14” square and over 16” tall to accommodate a hen sitting for extended periods.
Nest Box Size FAQs
How many nest boxes do I need per chicken?
The rule of thumb is one box for every 4-5 hens. This prevents overcrowding and gives timid hens options.
What if my nest boxes are too small?
Hens may avoid laying in them. More eggs laid on the floor means more breaking. Stressed hens produce fewer eggs overall.
What happens if the nest boxes are too big?
Multiple hens may pile in, leading to hen conflicts, dirty/broken eggs, and broodiness. It’s better to err slightly small than too large.
Can I use the same size nests for bantams?
Yes, but you can downsize the dimensions slightly for these petite chickens. Avoid going too small though.
Will chickens use commercially available plastic nests?
Yes, plastic nesting boxes can work well, provided they are appropriately sized with adequate ventilation. Easy cleaning is a bonus.
Nest Box Design Tips Beyond Size
Picking the right size is crucial, but proper placement and nest box design also contribute to success:
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Location – Place boxes in a quiet, secluded, and dimly lit area of the coop.
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Bedding – Use soft, absorbent materials like hay, straw, or wood shavings. Avoid dusty or mold-prone litter.
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Enclosed – Hens like privacy. Covered nest box tops or curtains help them feel secure.
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Elevated – Mount boxes 18-24” off the ground to prevent predators and discourage floor eggs.
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Perches – Roosting bars near (but not directly above) the nests ease access.
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Cleaning – Fresh bedding and regular disinfection prevents disease. Weekly cleaning is recommended.
Following these best practices, in addition to the right size, results in happy, productive hens that eagerly lay their eggs in the perfect nesting environment.
Troubleshooting Common Nest Box Problems
Even with properly sized and designed nests, you may encounter some problems. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
Hens not using the boxes
- Add golf balls to show it’s a laying spot
- Ensure boxes are clean, dry, and filled with bedding
- Try a new location away from disturbances
- Check for mites, disinfect boxes
Hens sleeping in the boxes
- Install roosts higher than the boxes
- Install curtains to block nighttime entry
- Allow access only during prime laying hours
Dirty or broken eggs
- Introduce roll-away nest box design
- Add more boxes to prevent overcrowding
- Use clean bedding and prompt egg collection
Hens roosting on nest box roof
- Slope roof at 45 degrees to prevent standing
- Ensure adequate higher roosting bars are available
Persistence pays off! With some experimentation, you can get your flock laying happily in their perfectly sized nest boxes.
Conclusion
Providing chickens with properly sized nest boxes is crucial for keeping backyard hens. By following the dimensions recommended for your hen’s breed size, you promote comfort, cleanliness, and optimize egg production.
Combine the right size with smart placement, enclosed design, clean bedding, and regular cleaning for nesting box success. Your chickens will thank you for it with abundant daily eggs conveniently laid in their cozy nest box home.
Here is a summary of the key nest box size guidelines:
- Bantams: 10” x 10” x 12”
- Standard breeds: 12” x 12” x 14”
- Large hens: 14” x 12” x 14”
- 1 box per 4-5 hens
- Troubleshoot issues with placement, bedding, cleaning, etc.
With this knowledge in hand, you can create the perfect nest box environment tailored to your flock’s needs. Happy egg laying!
Hens are sleeping in the nesting box
I’ve been struggling with this off and on for years! While it may seem harmless, it’s not a great behavior to encourage. Mostly, because the hen will poop while she is sleeping and you’ll end up with a dirty nest and eggs. Here’s my best tips for discouraging this:
- Ensure that your nesting boxes are positioned below the roosting bars. Hens naturally want to roost as high as possible. Therefore, if your nesting box is the highest place they can get to, they’ll go for it every time.
- Use the Best Nest Rollaway Box that features perching bars that you can flip up at night (see photo below) to prevent hens from entering. Just be sure to flip them back down the next morning!
Chicken Nesting Box Style
Before we jump into the chicken nesting box size, it’s important that we cover the types of nesting boxes that are available to you. There are several types of designs, depending on what your goals are in your coop!
Individual nests are the most common design that you’ll see. They are sized to fit 1 hen, however, you may notice 2 (or 3!) trying to squeeze in there at a time. Egg laying can be a social event sometimes.
In my experience, individual nesting boxes are the style that hens enjoy the most. I have both individual and group nests, and there are always way more eggs in individual laying boxes. They like their privacy!
Group nesting boxes are another design that can be used in the coop. It utilizes a large nest that can fit several chickens at once. The benefit of this style of nesting box is that it is easier to construct (vs several individual boxes) and makes egg gathering easier.
A negative of this style is that there’s less privacy for the hen to do her business, so she may decide to lay somewhere else. Also, it comes with an increased risk of eggs being broken from multiple hens bumping around in there.
This is my favorite bonus feature! A rollaway nest has a surface that is slightly tipped at an angle so that the freshly laid egg gently “rolls away” from the laying area to a protected collection tray. You can find this feature on individual and group nests.
A rollaway nesting box keeps the eggs clean, protected from egg-eaters and reduces the hen’s instinct to go broody. Broodiness (the hen’s desire to sit on eggs so that they develop into chicks) is often triggered by the sight of a tempting pile of eggs. While this can be desirable at times, often it is a hassle and not encouraged.
Trap nests are featured on individual nests and are neat because they have a trap door that swings down as soon as a hen enters the nest. The purpose of a trap nest is so that you can identify which hen lays what type of egg.
This is not a super common design, but it is often used in poultry breeders or backyard chicken keepers who are just curious about who lays what. I would love to have this type someday!