If nest boxes are available inside the coop, but you want to add more, is it necessary that they're accessible from inside?

[LaurelC]

We are working on obtaining a "Certified Regenerative" certification for our farm and part of that is including "enough" nest boxes, which by their standards works out to 5 hens per box or in a communal nest design, 20 square inches per hen. We have an existing coop that we ran all of last year with ~50 hens and 6 nest boxes and didn't see any issues, however to get this certification I need to add the equivalent of 4 more, or ~3 square feet worth of communal nest box. Cutting into and reframing part of the side of my mobile coop while it's in service isn't high on my list of things I want to do, and I'm wondering if outside of the potential issue of weather blowing in (which I believe can be worked around by a deep roof overhang and some curtains) is if there's a need for the chickens to be able to access it from inside the coop. The chickens have an automatic door and have access to the outside during daylight hours every day, but even if they decide not to go outside, they have access to the existing nest boxes.

 

[TOMTE]

I'm not sure about for the certification, but lots of people have nestboxes outside the coop.

 

[aart]

if there's a need for the chickens to be able to access it from inside the coop.

This would be a question for the certifying people.

Curious how much coop space they require for 50 birds?

 

[Shadrach]

Congratulations for going for a regenerative farming certificate.
No, nesting boxes do not have to be in the coop. In fact, many keepers who do range and free range have nest boxes spread over the acreage the chickens roam on.
You do need to fit secure doors on such outside nest boxes. In the event that a hen lays in one of the boxes and goes broody she will need to be secured at night.
There are a couple of things that need to be considered.
If the outside nest box is static with bare ground as the base (my prefered option) then the usaul precautions such as a hardware cloth skirt will help to keep pests and predators out of the coop overnight.
Some free ranging keepers put floors in their outside nest boxes and raise the box in legs and provide a ramp for access. The advantage of this is should a hen decide to sit and hatch in the box, the entire box can be moved to a less exposed location.
Use natural ground in both types of box. Four to five inches deep seems adequate in the mobile boxes, a bit of straw or other forms of bedding can be added.

Nest box/multi coop chicken keeping does add a task to the farmers list. The boxes need closing up and opening every day, but if you're a farmer this won't be much of a problem to fit in with the other morning and evening tasks.
Siting the nest boxes does require some trial and error. If one bears in mind the kind of cover and hen will look for should she make a ground nest then that this should give clues about where makes a good site. If you make a bad choice the hens probably wont use the box anyway and go and find a better site.

 

[LaurelC]

I'm not sure about for the certification, but lots of people have nestboxes outside the coop.

OK cool. I couldn't come up with a solid argument for accessibility inside but I also don't know what I don't know and thought maybe there was a compelling reason to

This would be a question for the certifying people.

Curious how much coop space they require for 50 birds?

The standards don't have any rules regarding access to the boxes, but here are the specific standards with regards to perch spacing, sizing, and nest boxes.

Note: AGW recommends that all birds have access to the outdoor ranging and foraging area from as early on in life as possible. This could be from two to three days old onwards if conditions allow.

6.5.21 Birds must have space to fly, run and stretch their wings in pens on ranging and foraging areas.

6.5.22 A fully enclosed pen on ranging and foraging areas for hens must be at least 4 ft (1.2m) high.

6.5.23 If pens on ranging and foraging areas are moved in the lifetime of the flock protocols must be in place to ensure no harm comes to birds during the move.

6.5.24 All geese and ducks must have access to water for behavioral needs.

Note: Different species have different behavioral needs. All geese and ducks must have access to water such that they can dip their heads in water and spread water over their feathers. Geese and Mallard ducks additionally require water they can swim in, whereas Muscovy ducks do not. Goslings and Ducklings are included in the requirement above but they must be protected from the risk of drowning. This may necessitate excluding them from large bodies of water and/or deep water.

6.5.25 Water for swimming needs must be deep enough for birds to fully invert their bodies in the water and swim without their feet touching the bottom.

6.5.26 The thermal comfort of poultry must be protected by provision of housing or shelter with natural or mechanical temperature and humidity control as required. The needs of all ages and stages of production and local climatic extremes must be taken into account when planning housing or shelter.

Note: If the temperature drops below 55F (13C) for more than 7 days in a row, natural shelter is not sufficient to protect bird thermal comfort and man-made houses or shelters must be provided.

6.5.27 If birds are excluded from daytime access to ranging and foraging areas, they must be provided with vegetative material so that they can engage in foraging behavior.

6.5.28 Shelters and housing must be well ventilated and allow fresh air to enter.

6.5.29 Shelters and housing must allow natural light to enter.

6.5.30 Birds must not be subjected to dim and/or continuous lighting or kept in permanent darkness.

6.5.31 In the daytime, the birds must always be able to see each other, their food and water sources, as well as their surroundings clearly.

6.5.32 Inspection of birds must be possible at any time day or night.

6.5.33 Use of artificial light must not extend the maximum day-length beyond 16 hours.

6.5.34 When birds are shut into housing or shelter any artificial light must be distributed evenly.

6.5.35 Poultry housing must be kept at an average of at least 20 lux in daylight hours.

6.5.36 Wire mesh flooring must not damage the birds’ feet.

6.5.37 When poultry are excluded from outdoor, vegetated ranging and foraging areas during daylight hours they must continue to have access to a solid floored foraging area.

Note for poultry: Existing mesh or slatted flooring areas within the house may be covered to create the equivalent of a solid surface, or birds may be given access to a solid floored foraging area outside the house – for example a winter garden or barn – when conditions do not allow them to be outside on a vegetated ranging and foraging area.

6.5.38 Houses for poultry must be at least 4 ft (1.2m) high.

Note: This standard does not apply when birds always have free access in and out of the house.

6.5.39 Once in lay, chicken breeder flocks and laying hens must have access to 7 in (18cm) aerial perch per bird.

6.5.40 Perches for chicken breeder and layers, turkeys breeders and layers, Muscovy duck breeders and layers must be at least 12” (30cm) off the floor; 18” (45cm) apart vertically in ladder perches; 12” (30cm) apart vertically in A frame or diagonal perches; 12” (30cm) apart horizontally and at least 8” (20cm) from a wall.

6.5.41 Laying chicken hens and laying ducks must have at least one individual nest box for every five birds.

6.5.42 Where communal nests are used there must be at least 20 sq. inches (129cm2) per chicken laying hen or laying duck.

6.5.46 All poultry nest boxes must be dry with friable and manipulable nesting material.

So for clarity as long as the chickens have access to outdoors during the day and have adequate perch space, there aren't a whole lot of rules regarding the size of the coop.

And for reference, in case anyone is interested in this type of setup (and there is practically zero information with regards to this on BYC, which makes sense, because this is not a "backyard" type situation), Our mobile coop is roughly 4x8. During the warm months we have 5x 8' long perches and it is MORE than enough space for the ~50 layers we keep. During the winter I remove the top perch as we get a strong draft right above it. Photo of the inside of the coop without perches, and after perches installed when the birds were ~3 months old, there were 52 of them in the coop.

 

[LaurelC]

We haven't seen any issues with aggression or birds being bullied, despite having a pretty wide range of temperaments. Our flock is made up of leghorns, production olive eggers, ameraucana-based easter egger mutts, and cuckoo marans.