Chicken Nest

[MadTripper]

Is it imperitive to have separate nests for chickens or can I build one long area to accomidate them all? I plan on having 6 to 8 nests however I'm not sure I need to put the partitions in between each nest. If I don't, they will have a 6 to 8 foot area for laying.

Tripper

[Deberosa]

I have one mobile coop with a 6 ft wide nest. I closed in most of the front so they only have a single door to get into it. They seemed just fine with that. My permanent coop has a bank of 15 galvanized steel nest boxes. They all end up using the same two or three nests!!!

I would say you are just fine as long as you only provide a door or two for them to get in. Mine then had a wide door that opened from the outside so I could gather the eggs. It's the pick of the cattle panel coop in my garden picks. The back has the nest area and a door.

Debbie

[MadTripper]

My design has the nest boxes hanging out the wall on my coop and will have a flip-top lid to access eggs from outside the coop. The chicken access will be from inside the coop. I suppose just allowing an opening on either end will work if thats what you did. I just wasn't sure if they wanted privacy from the other birds. Thanks for your input.

Tripper

[AlchemyAcres]

Naw...you don't need the partitions...
I've used a tunnel nest box design for years......the tunnel keeps out light...the chickens stay calmer...it's cozier than a roll-away nest...the the egs stay clean....are never broken...the hens never ever take to egg eatin' (they can't peck what they can't see)......

~Martin ;)

[Deberosa]

Yeah, I have this nice bank of 15 steel nest boxes and I can go in there and see three hens in one box at the same time!!!

One thing that happenned with the tunnel nest I made was that they liked to sleep in it too.... Configuring someway to shut the doors as you take the eggs out might be something to think about if they start doing that.