Broke ground on our chicken coop

[Bowleggedcowboy]

So we are sitting here deciding a few things on our design.  What are the advantages of exterior egg boxes?  I am assuming convenience and more room.   Is it necessary for a coup this size, or should we just plan on interior boxes and going inside to collect the eggs?

it's nice not to have to go inside just to collect eggs. And you are right it does give you more room.. More room means more chickens. Make your perches with 2*4s with wide side up.

 

[Bowleggedcowboy]

@Canamer i used google images to get some ideas qhen i built my coop.

 

[aart]

So we are sitting here deciding a few things on our design. What are the advantages of exterior egg boxes? I am assuming convenience and more room. Is it necessary for a coup this size, or should we just plan on interior boxes and going inside to collect the eggs?

There are advantages and disadvantages to exterior egg collection.

One of the biggest disadvantages is weather proofing and predator access.
Hinges/door(s) can leak and it's another entry to coop that needs to be secured against predators.

Advantages are cleaner shoes when gathering eggs and easier to clean and change nest bedding.

I've got the best of both worlds as my nest access is outside coop but still inside shed, tho I still have looped latches on doors in case anything gets inside shed.
See My Coop page.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

One thing that many people forget about when building coops is to take into account the bedding depth. Far too often doors are fitted without any lift from flooring. Decide how much bedding you'll use and adjust all your openings and nesting boxes heights from there. Four inches is a minimum depth and you may want to do a deep litter which has the advantage of composting and not needing to be cleaned but once a year and that's ten inches. Poop boards under roosts is a good idea to keeping the coop clean too.

 

[Bowleggedcowboy]

There are advantages and disadvantages to exterior egg collection.

One of the biggest disadvantages is weather proofing and predator access.
Hinges/door(s) can leak and it's another entry to coop that needs to be secured against predators.

Advantages are cleaner shoes when gathering eggs and easier to clean and change nest bedding.

I've got the best of both worlds as my nest access is outside coop but still inside shed, tho I still have looped latches on doors in case anything gets inside shed. 
See My Coop page.

weather proofing isn't a problem if it's built right. You make the front open up instead of the top.

 

[Canamer]

OK. Talking about poop boards - my husband was thinking of making pullout poop boards. I am thinking that is too much work and designing...

 

[Canamer]

There are advantages and disadvantages to exterior egg collection.

One of the biggest disadvantages is weather proofing and predator access.
Hinges/door(s) can leak and it's another entry to coop that needs to be secured against predators.

Advantages are cleaner shoes when gathering eggs and easier to clean and change nest bedding.

I've got the best of both worlds as my nest access is outside coop but still inside shed, tho I still have looped latches on doors in case anything gets inside shed.
See My Coop page.

So that is what we were thinking with the disadvantages. Not ready to start walls yet, so will think about it more.

weather proofing isn't a problem if it's built right. You make the front open up instead of the top.

One thing that many people forget about when building coops is to take into account the bedding depth. Far too often doors are fitted without any lift from flooring. Decide how much bedding you'll use and adjust all your openings and nesting boxes heights from there. Four inches is a minimum depth and you may want to do a deep litter which has the advantage of composting and not needing to be cleaned but once a year and that's ten inches. Poop boards under roosts is a good idea to keeping the coop clean too.

So bottom of door should be 4 " off of floor?

 

[Bowleggedcowboy]

nest box opening in the front

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If your going to use 4 inches of bedding your door should be 4 inches from floor. Do a little research into deep litter and you can decide what depth of bedding you'll use. Heck, sand used for floor cover is popular now too.

So bottom of door should be 4 " off of floor?

 

[nordicacres]

OMG, it never even occurred to me to account for the bedding when making the doors and pop holes. This is why I love these threads. We can all learn Unfortunately we are repurposing a shed so I will need to come up with some kind of solution for a big double door that already exists . . .