Can you show me nesting box pics?

[whatthecluck]

We just "reopened" our 200 year old coupe that seems to have last been in use 1942 judging by the newspaper shreds in the nesting boxes.
The 7 boxes have hinged doors on top (I need to replace the hardware actually they arent super strong hinges anymore). I have now cleaned them all out and put in new shavings everywhere. The right side I tried to close the top and because its old it only closes 3/4 of the way anyhow. The other side I have flipped back now. I have 21-1/2 week old pullets (well 4 of my flock are that age)...no eggs yet. I DO see white feathers in one with the top pulled somewhat down. What do YOUR chickens prefer?
Heres some pics of our coop (the second picture is prior to a good cleaning, pine shavings and chickens

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[whatthecluck]

Adding for clarification...I meant do your chickens prefer a cover on the nesting boxes or not? I am not sure if I am supposed to have the hinged part down over the nesting box or folded back (above pics). I did one of each and am seeing feathers in the covered one but still waiting on eggs. Just want to optimize their comfort so they start handing out some eggs

 

[EllyMae]

OMG, your coop looks like something straight out of Country Living magazine!! You are soooooooo lucky! Don't change a thing!

 

[mylilchix]

That coop is awesome!! I'm sooooo jealous. You're sooooo lucky!!!!

Sonja

 

[ZooMummzy]

What an awesome coop! What I wouldn't give to have one like that. I am building a new one this month. I wonder if I can get hubby to build me an "old coop"

My nesting boxes are covered kinda. They are stacked on top of one another and the top row is close to the roof. They use all of them even when the roof is open. They don't seem to be picky.

 

[lisahaschickens]

quick question - how are your chickens supposed to get into and out of those boxes... do they drop down from the top and then climb back out? I am a newbie so I have no idea if that is a normal configuration... I just haven't seen them that way before. The only thing I know is that chickens like a dark, quiet, snuggly place to lay eggs so I would keep the top down if it were me, but that's only going by my reading. Here are pictures of mine, right after they were built. My babies are too young right now to lay, but these are built to general specifications from many books and websites:

 

[lisahaschickens]

um... and you know what I mean when my post says "lay male chicken" - this must be the april fool's joke because I typed it out "e" "g" "g" "s."

 

[Judy]

I have seen OLD nest boxes built that way before. Occurs to me that a broody's hatchlings would not fall out for a few days. Doubt the old timers often separated a broody, so maybe a few more chicks survived that way.

 

[LynneP]

Ours open to the side, shown about 3/4 of the way down this page. Ours are about 1 foot off the floor with a perch attached in the front. We have golden comets. Are your next boxes attached to the stand below them? I was thinking they might have been stored that way and could be altered to face our with that board moving to the front to keep nesting material inside.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693

I smiled when I saw yours, I've seen that style only once before in the little village of Hopewell on a traditional farm...

 

[whatthecluck]

Quote:
oh, actually the pictures are misleading now that I look at them. There is actually an opening in the back...well the base of the box comes up about 2-3 inches to hold in the nesting material and the backs of the boxes are open facing the wall...and there is a straight run through the whole back where they can run through to the landing that has the huge perches over it. They already run behind the boxes now. I have shavings on, in and behind. I guess the pictures dont show that. I can try to take better ones this afternoon from a different angle, I just couldnt figure out why the doors on top had hinges?.