Ok. So, here we are on the 2nd day of construction. Thankfully my dad was able to get some work in before the rain came! We are plugging along, slowly but surely - and arguing every step of the way. I want siding, he wanted to paint the plywood. I want windows that open, he wants to put fixed windows. Haha. I think I will win all the fights, not sure why he is even arguing with me - but, it keeps him young Now, is where I need your help. Please. The egg retrieval hatch. (not sure what it is called. I knew once, but am drawing a blank must be all the arguing Anywho. My coop is 8x7. I will have 6 bantams, a jersey giant, buff orp, dominique, barred rock, white plymouth rock, black sumatra & RIR. How many nesting boxes will I need? How big should the boxes be? and the access hatch for eggs? If anyone could please help, I would appreciate it. I was going to do 6 nesting boxes (incase we increase our flock - my town allows 20) But, need help with dimensions, please. Thanks so much! I am feeling frustrated.
The way we were planning our nesting boxes is to have them actually stickin out the backside of the coop with the top of the box being a lid that you can just walk up and open to gain access to the eggs without actually goin into the coop. Granted you'd have to have a latch of some sort to keep critters from opening the lid but it will make it a lot easier to access the eggs. It also makes it so you don't have to take up floor space in the coop
2 or 3 nesting boxes would be plenty. Mine use the same box anyway. Looks like you have a great start.
I count 14 chickens so far but it sounds like you will max out your limit of 20, right? If so 6 boxes will be plenty, they probably will only use 3 or 4 anyway. 15"x15"x15" will be plenty big even for your larger birds.
