Can I build nesting boxes in the run?

[Fluttering-about]

My chicken house is a bit small. - OK really small! I made the mistake of buying a darling chicken house on Amazon. WOW what a mistake. There isn't even room for a roost. So, seeing as my girls are sleeping in the "nesting boxes", really just an extra space divided in two, should I build separate nesting boxes outside of the coop? Say somewhere in the run. ( they have direct access to the run from their "house").
We live in Texas, so weather really is not an issue.
I am just so new to this, and my girls are getting older. I think they should have a separate place for laying. Or am I wrong? (Very often the case)

 

[Hope Hughes]

If you were able to you could always build the boxes on the side of the coop and Just cut out holes big enough for them to get in and out of the nesting boxes and make it so you can cover the holes at night so they can't get into them to sleep.

 

[Hope Hughes]

Sorta along these lines..

 

[jennyf]

I am trying the very same thing! So my birds aren't old enough to lay yet, and obviously I need a better (level) base, but I set the nest box I've been working on outside to take a picture. This is in a very protected area (right outside our garage "people" door under an overhang) so I'm hoping its sheltered enough. Only have three chickens but trying to leave as much room in the coop as possible.

 

[Pork Pie]

No problem in putting nesting boxes in the run - some of my flock used boxes in a small, grow-out coop in one of the runs. The killer is, you can build what you think is great and your girls won't necessarily agree i mostly use plastic basins - that way I can move nest boxes according to moods of my flock