Do you have a free range flock? Nesting box ideas??

[Minky]

My flock free range when theres no snow on the ground (mid march -late Nov) but they were new to me last fall and only started laying in Dec so I'm not sure how it will work this spring /summer.....
Do they go back to the coop to lay their eggs? I' d like to entice them to wander down into the orchard, but that is about 100-150 feet away from the chicken door. I would like to build a cool looking hang out/ saftey roost/ nest box/ water station. Near the orchard. Anyone have any pics or ideas to share? I was thinking something like this thing...but altered to offer water station, higher (saftey perch -to get away from my cat or maybe the fox....) and community nest box.

Thoughts?

 

[peckpeckpeck]

Adorable!! I want one too!

My girls go back to the coop to lay.
They were mostly confined to the coop as they were maturing so they learned the nest box from the beginning.

Now they free range on about 1/3 acre but wander back when they want to lay.