should I move the nest boxes to the outside of the coop?

[sheeshshe]

right now they are taking up a lot of room in the 4x4 coop.... my neighbor thought that perhaps I could take them off and hang them on the outside and close them in etc... right now they are inside and there is a hole in the back to get eggs out...

When the chickens are full grown they prob wouldn't be able to fit through the holes right? so I would have to prob do major reconstruction to make that work? whatcha think?

or my other option is to get rid of two of the boxes and just keep one

suggestions?

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I would keep all 3 of the boxes and put them inside the coop.

 

[sheeshshe]

you saying keep them where they are at? you said inside the coop...

or did you mean to say outside the coop.... ?

 

[consdrs]

My vote would be for putting them on the outside. Mine are on the outside for the very same reason, space. my boxes are 12x12x12 and I have full size hens. just make your holes 12x12 squares and attach the boxes on the outside. of course they all have to use the "special" box and none of the others... all 9 of them

Connie

 

[patandchickens]

You *could* put them on the outside, but be aware it'll always be a weak spot in terms of predatorproofing and weatherproofing, and takes quite a lot of extra work to make it really secure that way.

How many chickens do you have? I would doubt you have enough chickens, in a 4x4 coop, to even *need* more than one nestbox, maybe two at most.

Also, as long as they are mounted high enough that the chickens can walk underneath (maybe ducking just a little bit), they really aren't taking up much room in there from the chickens' viewpoint.

I dunno, there are various ways you could go, I don't think there is one clearly superior course of action.

Probably best off blocking off those access holes though, with something strong and raccoon-proof-lockable. Might swap out the chcikenwire for something more raccoonproof too, and put in a solid (not mesh) bottom on the nestbox (or nestboxes, depending how many you end up using

)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[lunkerchicken]

I am an outside the coop guy but I had the advantage of building them in when I was constructing the coop. I like the fact that they are out of the way inside the coop. I built them out of 2 x 3's, with foam insulation and 1/2" plywood, they are like fort knox. As far as the door, my initial intent was to have it light enough for the kids to access the eggs but I got carried away and built that solid and very heavy (not kid friendly BUT predator proof for sure). I have 2 clasps on each end of the door to secure it at night.
My 2 cents - good luck with you decision. Keep us posted.

 

[sheeshshe]

thank you

I think it would be a lot less work to just keep the boxes where they are at... I did think about taking two off and leaving one... I would like to put the food and water containers under where the two boxes are on the right side but Im thinking that it would be a tight squeeze. I don't like the wire bottoms on the nest box at all. Im going to change that somehow.

as far as the holes that are there, I plan on putting some hardware cloth over them and then some sort of hinge door thingie...

good point about raccoons though! i'll have to make sure its secure for those pesky critters!

oh and I want to get rid of the chicken wire and put hardware cloth instead... and I have 4 chickens

 

[sheeshshe]

oh gosh, now I can't decide.. ahhh this is a hard decision. I do like that there would be more room without them in there... hmmmm. but oh the work and the time........... its a tossup!!! I do want it secure if I did it though... but ya know what? it would take a lot more materials to do it I think... I dont' have that this year... perhaps I'll just take out the 2 boxes and then next year I can fix it up in a different way when I have more moolah.

I'll have to saw those boxes out somehow! I'll figure it out!

 

[briteday]

Four chickens...keep ONE nest box and get rid of the rest. At that point inside or out won't matter since one nest box doesn't take up much space. Put hardware cloth over the holes in the back and call it "ventilation."

 

[sheeshshe]

yeppo!! I was planning on having it as extra ventilation but with some closures in case I need to close off the ventilation!! woohoo!! I think this is what Im going to do for sure... stick to the first plan in the first place LOL!