The egg laying has slowed down.

[@OneMound1]

So convenient access to the eggs from outside! Is that normal? It probably is and my ignorance is showing…. Lol why the fake eggs?

[@TirzaNL]

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.

[@OneMound1]

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.