If you plan on raising chickens you will need to buy or build a suitable chicken coop. If you are a DIY handyman, you can save a lot of money by building your own chicken coop. One of the more important design features of the chicken coop is the design of the nest. In order to keep your hens producing fresh eggs every day you must properly design your nest. Follow these simple guidelines to ensure a consistent supply of farm fresh eggs.

Choosing the Correct Number of Chicken Nests: Construct one nesting box for every 2 to 4 hens in your chicken coop. If you decide to stack the nests vertically you should build a small perch in front of the chicken nest for easy access.

Size of the Chicken Nest: The most common size of nest for chickens is 12 inches wide x 12 inches deep x 12 inches high for standard breeds. For larger, heavier, breeds the nesting box should be 14 inches wide x 14 inches tall x 12 inches deep. Be sure to allow enough room for the hens to stand upright inside the nest.

Shape and Location of the Chicken Coop Nest: It is important to keep the nest lower than the roost inside your chicken coop. Chickens like to sleep at the highest accessible point inside the chicken coop. Keeping the nest lower than the roost will discourage the chickens from sleeping inside the nest. You should also include a lip at the front of the nest. The lip serves two purposes. First, it keeps the fresh eggs inside the nest so you don’t end up with broken eggs on the floor. Second, the front lip is soothing for the hen. She will feel sheltered and will in turn produce more eggs.

Chicken Coop Nest - Must Have Features: Construct an external access door to easily retrieve your farm fresh eggs every morning. Install a lower front lip to keep debris out of the nest and keep the eggs and straw in the nest.

Final Nest Touches: Hens enjoy the comfort of a straw bed or wood shavings. Happy hens are productive hens. Place a two inch thick layer of pine straw to reduce the chances of breaking an egg as it is laid.

Handyman Design Tips and Farming Tips: Slope the roof of the chicken coop nest to discourage chickens from sleeping on top of the nest and creating a mess. Place a few replica wooden eggs or golf balls in the nest. This will help train your hens. Hens will produce more eggs in a darker, enclosed nest.