Nesting box location question...

[Karrie13]

We are going to begin working on our coop this weekend and I have a nesting box question. I live in central Minnesota and it can get pretty chilly in the winter, sometimes -50 with wind-chill for a couple weeks in the winter. With the cold winters we can sometimes get, would it be ok to have an external nesting box? I am trying to make sure there is plenty of inside room in case the girls need to be kept inside for an extended period of time.

Thanks for any info!

 

[Karrie13]

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[spottedtail]

I'm in MN too and probably wouldn't do the external box method.
I'd just build the coop a bit bigger to accommodate them inside.

But... since a hen doesn't spend lots of time in a nest box, it might just work. I don't know.

It's a gamble...if it works...you win!
If it doesn't...it's aggravation, loss of time, money, and energy.

Good luck!

 

[LilbitChicken]

UMMMM, we are new to the chicken family....we live in sunny (hot) Az, so completely opposite temps.

I would say, the nest boxes need to be IN the coop...rather than out on the side, but I understand for your space, it might benefit the other way!

Sorry I didn't help , I suppose. Just do, whatever you feel is best for the chickens, then it's the right choice.

 

[Schroeder]

We have pretty cold winters in Indiana but I built exterior nest boxes in my insulated coop. It really increases the interior space. They are on the East side, best protected from the wind, and first to be heated by the sun. I thought if it gets too cold I might get some sheets of rigid insulation to surround the outside of the nest boxes and as a double layer of draft protection. I'm new to this so I can't tell you how it works, just my thought process.

 

[Karrie13]

Thanks for the suggestions. My husband doesn't want to build it on the outside but I ended up with a couple extra chicks and just want to make sure there was enough room. Now IF I can talk him into building it bigger that might be a better solution.