The convenient access to your eggs is very normal. I m from the Netherlands and we all build our chicken coops like this. The fake eggs are to get a hen brooding. Some chickens will only do that when they see a bunch of eggs. In some cases the hens dont lay their eggs at the wanted place, and you can "show them" where it should be done. Personally I dont use them, my chickens usually all lay in one nest. So if there is a hen who wants some cute little chicks she ll just brood her own egg with the ones from the other chickens.
My only experience with a chicken coop was 35 years ago at my grandparents farm. Her coop was more like a very small barn that you went into to retrieve the eggs from the boxes.
So convenient access to the eggs from outside! Is that normal? It probably is and my ignorance is showing…. Lol why the fake eggs?
The convenient access to your eggs is very normal. I m from the Netherlands and we all build our chicken coops like this.
The fake eggs are to get a hen brooding. Some chickens will only do that when they see a bunch of eggs. In some cases the hens dont lay their eggs at the wanted place, and you can "show them" where it should be done.
Personally I dont use them, my chickens usually all lay in one nest. So if there is a hen who wants some cute little chicks she ll just brood her own egg with the ones from the other chickens.
My only experience with a chicken coop was 35 years ago at my grandparents farm. Her coop was more like a very small barn that you went into to retrieve the eggs from the boxes.