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Chicken Nesting Box Plans
Nesting boxes for chickens, built as one plywood unit: two ends, a floor and a top for each row, dividers between the boxes, a lip across the front that keeps the straw in and a roof that overhangs the openings. The defaults are four 12 × 12 in boxes in one row, enough for up to 20 hens. Change the number of boxes, add a second row or make the boxes bigger for large breeds, and every part is recalculated.
- Default size
- 305 × 330 mm
- Parts
- 10 pieces · 6 sizes
- Sheets (2440 × 1220 mm (4 × 8 ft))
- 1 carcass + 1 door + 1 back
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Build time
- About 3 hours
- Edge band
- 0 m
Cut list (default size)
| Part | Qty | Length | Width | Thick. | Board | Edges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End | 2 | 341 | 330 | 18 | Carcass board 18 mm | |
| Floor and top | 2 | 1274 | 330 | 18 | Carcass board 18 mm | |
| Divider | 3 | 312 | 305 | 18 | Carcass board 18 mm |
Sizes in millimetres; length runs along the grain. Edges: bold lines are banded.
3 more parts, the sheet layout and the cut order are in the full plan.Resize it to any size, print labels and save it in a project.Sign in free to open it
How it is built
- Making the boxes as one unit is quicker: screw the ends to the floors and top, then slide the dividers in and screw through the floors.
- Hang the unit 450–600 mm (18–24 in) off the floor and lower than the roost bars.
- Tilt the roof forward or add a board at 45° on top if hens start roosting on it.
- Fill each box with straw or shavings up to the lip and add a dummy egg to show the hens where to lay.
Common mistakes
- Building one box per hen: 4–5 hens share a box.
- Leaving the plywood raw: it soaks up mess. Paint it so it wipes clean.
Tools you need
- Circular saw or jigsaw
- Drill/driver
- Square
Frequently asked questions
What size should a chicken nesting box be?
A nest box of about 12 × 12 in (305 mm) and 12 in deep for standard hens, 10 in for bantams and 14 in for large breeds such as Brahmas or Jersey Giants.
How many nesting boxes do I need?
One box for every 4–5 hens. Hens share boxes and often all pick the same one, so more boxes do not help.
How high should nesting boxes be off the ground?
18–24 in (450–600 mm) up, and always lower than the roost bars: hens sleep on the highest perch, and you want them asleep on the roost, not in the boxes.
What wood is best for nesting boxes?
1/2 or 3/4 in (12–18 mm) exterior plywood. Paint it inside and out so it wipes clean, and do not use pressure-treated wood where the hens peck.
