Outside Access to Nest Boxes or not?

[dthompson]

I have just built the main structure of my coop/house. It is 6ftx12ft w/ a large window on one of the short walls, doors on the other short wall.

I had planned to make my roosts from branches and place them on the inside (connected to my shed) long wall. With nest boxes on the outside wall.

My question is - Is there really a strong advantage to making the next boxes have an outside hinge access? The only logical one I can think of is I would not have to put my chicken boots on to collect eggs...


Outside short wall:



A two foot human door w/ a 14 in chicken door (unsure where to put my run)



The wall on the right (tall side) is the outside of my shed - roosts will go along that close to the window. I am thinking of having 2 sets of 4 nest boxes off the floor w/ storage under them? We will have 20 chickens... excellent egg layers - Barred Rock and Cinnamon Queens. Anyhow, The question is do you you recommend just attaching them to the walls (on the left) or make an outside access to them.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The primary advantage of those is for coops that are not setup to be such that a person can walk into/stand up inside them - for a coop which allows for human occupancy, I don't see a big advantage.
NICE build! What did you use for roofing materiel?

 

[dthompson]

I used 2x6 rafters with corrugated roofing panels. I used 4 feet of clear in the middle w/ 4 feet of 'translucent' on the outsides. I did this to increase natural light in the coop.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Remember to keep the nests lower than the roosts to deter them from sleeping in them.

You might want to think on how much bedding material depth you'll be using. The doors may have to be raised some.

 

[dthompson]

Thanks! I just read this on another thread. I did not know that. I did plan on raising the roost and have seen pix of how people built a 'poop tray/platform) (see pix of samples below) under the roosts and then under the trays and even nest boxes. I have tried to get feed back to see if this was a mess/safe ... even with the trays...

I have a lot of room - but want to be able to add to our flock as time goes.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I've never seen the trays used but poop boards are common to reduce changing pine shavings. Common to use linoleum for easy cleaning on poop boards. Then you'd scrap it clean with a 10" tappers knife or the like into bucket then to compost.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I have, and love, a poop board set up. My coop is very much like the second one you used as an example, right down to having the feed/water hanging under it. I love the fact that the poop board prevents the waste of floor space that you encounter when the waste beneath the roosts is able to go to the floor level.

 

[dthompson]

I have, and love, a poop board set up. My coop is very much like the second one you used as an example, right down to having the feed/water hanging under it. I love the fact that the poop board prevents the waste of floor space that you encounter when the waste beneath the roosts is able to go to the floor level.

Do you find that your drinkers/feeders stay clean from the poop above?

 

[donrae]

My only concern for going in the coop to collect eggs is how your doors are situated. I'm thinking your human door is going to wind up being inside your run, and that's going to guarantee you need boots to go in. In just the coop, with deep litter, I go in in my crocs all the time cause it's basically dry and not messy....but runs are a whole nother story.

 

[Ankhdad]

My only concern for going in the coop to collect eggs is how your doors are situated. I'm thinking your human door is going to wind up being inside your run, and that's going to guarantee you need boots to go in. In just the coop, with deep litter, I go in in my crocs all the time cause it's basically dry and not messy....but runs are a whole nother story. 

lol...drives my wife nuts that I wear my crocs into the coop.
I'm using the deep litter method whick really helps keep the moisture down. I will go in, collect my eggs and have a visit with the girls.
The run on the other hand, is a mine field so boots are a must.