Woods coop - external nest boxes on the back wall desirable?

[HogFoo]

I just built an 8x12 Woods coop. Many thanks to folks here for all the good advice and threads on their own experience. Pic below.

Our first flock is only 12 weeks old, but I'm thinking now about building nesting boxes. I know people often situate them inside the coop across from the door, but we're going to add the run door there and we were trying not to have the boxes under the roosting bar at the rear of the coop. Also, we'd like the convenience of being able to get eggs without going inside the coop.

I worked really hard to make a good coop so I'd hate to mess it up at this point not knowing any better. Any reason adding 3-4 external boxes off the rear wall of the coop would create problems with the Woods design? I can see an undesirable wind tunnel effect if the weren't well sealed to the outside, but assuming a reasonably snug lid and such, what to do you think? Also, any other advice for/against external boxes would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[aart]

These two sentences are at odds...

we were trying not to have the boxes under the roosting bar at the rear of the coop.

Any reason adding 3-4 external boxes off the rear wall of the coop would create problems with the Woods design?

I'll assume your roosts are at the back,
even if nests were well sealed,
they'd be walking thru the poop under the roosts to get to the nests...
..not a good scenario.


Looks like a nice coop, is it in it's final resting place?

 

[CanadaEh]

We went with internal nest boxes located on the same wall as the door. Did not do external as it seemed to be to complicated to do with exterior siding. The only time I regret not building external is on really cold winter days when needing to check for eggs multiply times a day before they freeze. All other times picking eggs once a day at night when counting chickens and locking the coop down.

You don't need much space for nest boxes. To save space use wider boxes that can fit 3-4 chickens. we have 2 such boxes for 17 hens. Make sure box entrances are lower than the roosts height so they would not prefer to sleep in boxes rather than roosts.

ps: amazingly looking coop!

 

[HogFoo]

These two sentences are at odds...


I'll assume your roosts are at the back,
even if nests were well sealed,
they'd be walking thru the poop under the roosts to get to the nests...
..not a good scenario.


Looks like a nice coop, is it in it's final resting place?

Thanks - good point about the poop. Hadn't thought of that. One of the reasons I love BYC is all of the good advice here! Guess we will need to figure out a side wall instead or put poop boards under the roosts. We're trying to do dry/deep litter in the coop if possible so we were trying to avoid the poop boards.

Re: location - yes. It's in it's final spot now. Facing south, but the barn wall in front does cast shade on the monitor wall in the late afternoon. Was the only place really to situate it.

If we can figure out an external box solution - still okay with a Woods though?

Thanks again for the good advice!

 

[HogFoo]

We went with internal nest boxes located on the same wall as the door. Did not do external as it seemed to be to complicated to do with exterior siding. The only time I regret not building external is on really cold winter days when needing to check for eggs multiply times a day before they freeze. All other times picking eggs once a day at night when counting chickens and locking the coop down.

You don't need much space for nest boxes. To save space use wider boxes that can fit 3-4 chickens. we have 2 such boxes for 17 hens. Make sure box entrances are lower than the roosts height so they would not prefer to sleep in boxes rather than roosts.

ps: amazingly looking coop!

Thanks! Good point about wider boxes. Am considering a community box solution now actually. Much to learn, much to learn...

 

[aart]

Re: location - yes. It's in it's final spot now. Facing south, but the barn wall in front does cast shade on the monitor wall in the late afternoon. Was the only place really to situate it.

That's too bad.
That area will likely be in the shade all day for a good part of the year.

 

[Alaskan]

If we can figure out an external box solution - still okay with a Woods though?

As long as you can make the box tight, then it shouldn't be a problem.