We're finishing up on our latest coop and we're trying to give it a better more functioning design than our previous one. We're still fairly new to chickens. My question is based on the pic. The right side is completely boarded up for protection from wind, it's also where we plan on putting the roost(s). Is this not a good place for the roost(s) since it's right next to the laying boxes? Our first coop the hens don't use the roost so were constantly cleaning the poop out of the laying box
You want to place the roosts at a higher elevation than the nest boxes - it isn't so much about proximity as it is height. Natural instinct for them is to roost as high as possible. However, as you have a nest sleeping habit already in play, you will need to break that habit even after you re-configure the setup. This can be done by "closing" the nest boxes half an hour or so before they start going to roost (as easy as hanging/placing something across the front to keep them from being able to get in) or by physically moving each bird out of the nest box and onto the roost for several nights so they learn where they are meant to be sleeping.
