How much ventilation is too much for coop?

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

If you could it might be best to put the nests on the outside. That way you could have the roosts in the same spot as your original plan without them pooping in the nest. One of the most frustrating things is if the chicken coop layout isn’t good. I HATED my first coop. The roosts were too low causing some to sleep in the nests, which was a big pain. And they were also to close together, causing my brama to peck my bantam on the head every night, sending her screaming out of the coop. She eventually just refused to go in the coop because she was so scared. (My brama was about ten pounds and the bantam was about 1.5 pounds) Ideally, the nests should be quite a big lower than the sleeping area to keep them from sleeping in the nests. But I remember you or your wife saying something about y’all’s backs, so maybe just as low as y’all are comfortable with.

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? Or is it kind of like us where once we start pooping on a schedule you kinda get used to taking a poop at the same time every day?

 

[RoyalChick]

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? Or is it kind of like us where once we start pooping on a schedule you kinda get used to taking a poop at the same time every day?

They very rarely lay an egg once they have gone to roost. I won't say it never happens, but not often enough to need to plan for.
Often if they lay an egg in the night they do so right from the roost and it goes splat. But as I said it is rare.
I did have a hen that had a bit of a night-time habit. Sometimes she got off the roost and went to the nest boxes. Often she got up for a snack. But even she only did it now and then.
I just think it will give you more room to play with on the roosting front if you move them outside, and if once or twice you find an egg on the ground you can curse me to the ends of the earth!

 

[Squawkers]

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? Or is it kind of like us where once we start pooping on a schedule you kinda get used to taking a poop at the same time every day?

Chickens generally don’t lay at night. And even if they did, they probably would just lay if from the roost (as mine did on those rare occasions) it isn’t quite like pooping It takes chickens a little over a day (about 26-28) hours to fully develop and egg. So every day they lay the egg a little later, until they lay it around 3ish (I have heard this time before, but I had one hen who would always lay until 7, so I don’t know how accurate it is) and then they take a day off and restart the following morning. The only concern some people have with having the nests out is if you have a broody hen and your run isn’t predator proof.

 

[Squawkers]

They very rarely lay an egg once they have gone to roost. I won't say it never happens, but not often enough to need to plan for.
Often if they lay an egg in the night they do so right from the roost and it goes splat. But as I said it is rare.
I did have a hen that had a bit of a night-time habit. Sometimes she got off the roost and went to the nest boxes. Often she got up for a snack. But even she only did it now and then.
I just think it will give you more room to play with on the roosting front if you move them outside, and if once or twice you find an egg on the ground you can curse me to the ends of the earth!

He can curse me too, because I just said the same thing

 

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

They very rarely lay an egg once they have gone to roost. I won't say it never happens, but not often enough to need to plan for.
Often if they lay an egg in the night they do so right from the roost and it goes splat. But as I said it is rare.
I did have a hen that had a bit of a night-time habit. Sometimes she got off the roost and went to the nest boxes. Often she got up for a snack. But even she only did it now and then.
I just think it will give you more room to play with on the roosting front if you move them outside, and if once or twice you find an egg on the ground you can curse me to the ends of the earth!

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.

 

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

Chickens generally don’t lay at night. And even if they did, they probably would just lay if from the roost (as mine did on those rare occasions) it isn’t quite like pooping It takes chickens a little over a day (about 26-28) hours to fully develop and egg. So every day they lay the egg a little later, until they lay it around 3ish (I have heard this time before, but I had one hen who would always lay until 7, so I don’t know how accurate it is) and then they take a day off and restart the following morning. The only concern some people have with having the nests out is if you have a broody hen and your run isn’t predator proof.

If my run is anything, its predator proof.

Nothing is getting in there.

 

[Squawkers]

If my run is anything, its predator proof.

Nothing is getting in there.

I could tell

 

[Squawkers]

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.

I think it is perfect! Now you have more freedom for your roosts and you could even have them lower if you wanted.

 

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

I'll do something like this

with some milk crates on the wall.

 

[Squawkers]

I'll do something like this

View attachment 3994404

with some milk crates on the wall.

The only thing is make sure there is something holding the bedding in. Chickens would look at that and go “oooh!!” and then go rip it all out