I have one just slightly larger, 7 x 6 ft that I am planning on having Bantam RIR's in. This is my attempt at keeping my chicken addiction under control. I bought the pen used and have been fixing it up. Re-did the roof and added a nest box that is accessible from outside. It a double-stack box, I built from scrap wood.I went ahead and built a 4x4 chicken coop for my 4 pullets, but haven't put a nesting box in yet because I wasn't sure if I wanted it hanging off the side, more flush, or completely exterior. The inside of the coop is 16 sqft and they have a 50 sqft run- which nesting box style would be best for them? I see pros and cons to all three.
1)Nesting box attached to exterior
-takes up no space inside the coop-can be a point of weakness-need to waterproof well-don't love the look2)Nesting box inside coop with exterior access door
-takes up interior space-looks nicer in my opinion-less points of weakness3)Exterior nesting box in run
-takes up run space, but not coop space-chickens are let out at 7, can't access nesting box until then-can buy some pretty nice nesting boxes of this style, wouldn't have to build anything (sick and tired of building)