Nesting Boxes for Chickens

Nesting boxes for chickens come down to four choices: how many you build, how big each one is, how high you hang them and which kind you buy. Those four choices decide whether hens use the boxes and whether the eggs come out clean.

Count first. Penn State Extension says to give hens two nests for the first four hens and one more nest for every four additional hens. Eight hens get three boxes, twelve get four and twenty get six. Nesting box dimensions has the full table, the in-between flock sizes and a cut list for a three-box unit if you want to build your own.

Size and height come next. Each nest should measure at least 12 by 12 inches, sit at least 2 feet off the ground and stand at least 4 feet from the roosts, in a darker, secluded spot away from bright windows and busy areas. All of that comes from the same Penn State page. Seller pages often list only a box’s outside size, so check the inside space before you buy.

Then comes upkeep. eXtension says to keep 2 inches of clean, dry nesting material in the nests at all times, and Penn State says to collect eggs two times daily. A roll-away box changes the bedding rule. eXtension treats roll-away nests, where the egg rolls out after the hen leaves, as the exception to its advice to cushion eggs with clean bedding.

Buying is the last step. Best nesting boxes for chickens ranks six boxes, from a $19.99 open plastic box to a $226 roll-out rated by its maker for up to 20 hens, with prices checked 2026-10-09. I check each one against the 12 by 12 inch minimum and the nest count, because maker ratings run higher than the extension count. If you are buying a whole coop instead, count the nests in the listing against the rule above, then compare kits in the chicken coop kits guide.