pop out nesting

[MelodyGraulich]

Why do so many folks make a pop-out nesting area in their coops? I am planning my first coop, and we live in northern Utah. It seems to me that a pop-out nesting area will be difficult to keep warm in the winter. Are there problems with just putting the nesting boxes in a rectangular insulated coop?

 

[kichohana]

A pop out nest box just gives more floor space - especially in a smaller coop. After hours of perusing all the different coops on the coop pages, I've seen every kind - pop out, inside with outside access and fully inside, meaning you go into the coop to collect the eggs. I guess it's just personal preference. My coop is kind of small - 3' x 6', so I went with a pop-out nest box to save space.

 

[gryeyes]

I'm installing a pop-out nest box with two nests for two reasons: I don't have to go INTO the coop to gather the eggs, if I don't want to do so. I make more "egg-check" visits a day than I do for routine cleaning and refreshing feed.
Secondly, it frees up interior coop floor space, which is good for the chickens, giving them more allotted coop space per chicken.

 

[CityChook]

I ended up going with an internal nest box because it would be too hard to insulate/line an externally mounted nest box. Without the insulation and with 5 surfaces exposed to external air temperatures, I figured that it would be too difficult to keep eggs from freezing. The air inside my coop is easier to regulate.

Also remember that the lid will need to be latched/locked to guard against any predator entry and attention to construction will need to be addressed so that you don't end up with water coming in when it rains.

 

[patandchickens]

IMO the only purpose of external nestboxes is for people in very small AND VERY LOW (reach-in or tractor) coops, where an internal nestbox would take away too much walking-around space from the chickens. They can be quite valuable in that situation.

For larger coops, or for coops tall enough to mount the nestboxes at least 14" above the bedding, IMHO there is absolutely no sensible reason whatsoever to use external boxes. (Although in some cases a person might want an external *hatch* to collect eggs from *internal* nestboxes without entering the coop).

In large part I think many people build them either because they have seen them and think they look unique or 'chicken-y', or because they have just not thought through the issues involved.

JMHO, good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[MelodyGraulich]

Thanks for helping me perfect my plan. The nests will be inside, against the (relatively) warm garage wall.