Nesting box help - one big or sectioned off?

[Butterprint]

So my husband and I have been disagreeing on which way to go here with our nesting box/boxes.

We built our coop and had it mostly finished, except we hadn't sectioned off the nesting boxes yet and we'd like to add insulation before winter. We thought we had time, as our chickens are just 18 weeks, and I've been planning on making the nesting boxes more private in the next week or so here.

Well, we got our first eggs by surprise this week! We hadn't expected them until August. One was in the middle of the coop, we bought golf balls later that day and put them in the nesting box section. Today, another hen laid an egg in that area.

So I started panicking about "finishing" the nesting boxes. Meanwhile, my husband says he was reading about it and says "communal", aka, one big nesting box, is okay. We had originally planned on sectioning off 4 boxes, and we have 6 chickens and two ducks. (I don't think the ducks will be using them.)

I still feel like they'd be better off with a more private, enclosed space. Can anyone offer any advice? Is my husband right or are my instincts telling me something? Or does it come down to personal preference?

Thank you in advance!

 

[waynem1983]

Whether you have one larger box, or more smaller ones, they will most likley pick a favourite and all use the same one.

have you considered the future? Lets say a hen goes broody and you decide to let her sit on eggs, would it not be beneficial to have spare boxes?

A picture of your setup might be of further benefit.

 

[jetdog]

So my husband and I have been disagreeing on which way to go here with our nesting box/boxes. 

We built our coop and had it mostly finished, except we hadn't sectioned off the nesting boxes yet and we'd like to add insulation before winter. We thought we had time, as our chickens are just 18 weeks, and I've been planning on making the nesting boxes more private in the next week or so here. 

Well, we got our first eggs by surprise this week! We hadn't expected them until August. One was in the middle of the coop, we bought golf balls later that day and put them in the nesting box section. Today, another hen laid an egg in that area. 

So I started panicking about "finishing" the nesting boxes. Meanwhile, my husband says he was reading about it and says "communal", aka, one big nesting box, is okay. We had originally planned on sectioning off 4 boxes, and we have 6 chickens and two ducks. (I don't think the ducks will be using them.)

I still feel like they'd be better off with a more private, enclosed space. Can anyone offer any advice? Is my husband right or are my instincts telling me something? Or does it come down to personal preference?

Thank you in advance! 

I like mine separated if a egg gets accidentally broken it's easier to clean one smaller box than 1 big one. Just a personal preference.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Best of both worlds - do larger, separated boxes - it leaves room for sharing (not that they won't pack into a smaller box, because they can/do), but also provides options for those that prefer privacy or, as pointed out above, the possibility of having a broody, etc.

 

[donrae]

I'd have at least 2 sections. As stated above, a broody having her own box is a good thing. But, since hens like to pile in the same box, I don't like them to be the smaller 12x12 size, I think bigger is better. Less chance of an egg breaking when hen number two climbs in to lay.

 

[vehve]

I wen't with two 14'x20'x18' (the floor size was dictated by two cat litter boxes I had) nests, with a half wall separating them, so far they're working fine. We've only got two layers yet, but both have taken one as their own. I still have about 20'x20'x18' left in the nest box area, that I can take into use as a broody section or infirmary if needed, right now it's blocked off from the chickens.

 

[kbarnes]

Here's how I did mine and I have it set up to be able to block the last two on the left if I get a broody. Note i have alot of chickens I did a ratio of 4 chickens for every box.