How much ventilation is too much for coop?

[RoyalChick]

No, I think its a great idea, and it didn't even occur to me!

I found a guy on facebook locally with $3 milk crates. I messaged him to pick up a couple, they will make fantastic nesting boxes for outside of the coop area.

Perfect!

 

[RoyalChick]

I'll do something like this

View attachment 3994404

with some milk crates on the wall.

Love that. But a word of caution. Chickens are contrarian creatures and may decide they prefer their milk crates just sitting on the ground with the top open. Others may decide they like something else.
Mine have dishwashing tubs inside a repurposed kitchen cabinet.
I nearly abandoned that idea because they are way smaller than all the advice given says they should be, but even my big ladies like squishing themselves in there and when I created an option with more space and headroom they looked at me like I had lost my tiny little mind!

 

[rosemarythyme]

So the nest boxes do not need to be inside the coop area? What if they want or need to lay an egg at night? Or do they just not do that?

They shouldn't lay eggs at night once they get used to laying (pullets especially may have some oopsies where they should've gone and laid and then can't hold it overnight and drop the egg under the roost). Otherwise no reason to have nest boxes inside if the run is pretty well climate proofed (which I believe yours is?) and predator proof.

You can either have an auto door that lets them out at the break of dawn so they can use the nests outside immediately, or not lock them in the coop at night at all so they can go out and lay at sunrise.

But yes overall if you can bump out the nest boxes that'll give you room for one long roost.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

1/4 Hardware cloth is always good because the hens are protected with all the possible fresh air exchange, and that hardware cloth section can sealed up for the season. Good luck