I need help with ventilation

Oh good. So I can get the other two chicks. Yay! I plan to get a barred rock and a speckled sussex.

I also plan to cover all four sides (with a gap at the top for ventilation) of the run in the winter so hopefully they will use it. Since it is covered I figure the gap will not let snow in or very little. I just need to figure out how people do it. It looks like they just staple the plastic up but wouldn't that ruin the wood after a few years? I am picturing the post full of little holes from all the staples over the years....

I'll tell you right now, Barred Rocks get bored easily. And they don't handle confinement as well as Orpingtons and Australorps. They are very intelligent and inquisitive, and they need to be kept occupied. Do not get a Barred Rock if you are pressed for space.

Oh, thank you for the advice! It is so hard to learn about breeds from just online reviews. I will get an easter egger instead. I had planned on getting one before I got the mystery chicken. I hope that one turns out ok. I have a friend who can add her to her flock if it does not work out.

Tiana Rose said:

Oh, but 4-5 square feet per bird is still right, correct? If I got 5 that would be 5 square feet and if I got 6 that would be 4 square feet. Since I live in the city I really have to stick with this. Unless I found a new home for my goats but I do not see that happening.

I have three baby chicks right now but was planning to get 2 more tomorrow. They did not have the breeds I wanted five days ago when I got the first three. Those are buff orpington, Black Australorp, and a mystery chick. She is very cute but does not look like any of the breeds they ordered so we are very curious to see what she becomes. If my coop is to small I guess I could stick with the three...

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4sq ft in coop and 10 sqft in run is a bare minimum IMO.
What is your climate?
Putting your location in your profile can help folks give better answers/suggestions.

The roost height is OK (could be a little higher), especially in a small coop.
Biggest thing is that the roost is higher than the nests, a foot above is average.

The coop is 2 feet off the ground so the inside coop is 5 feet on one side and 4 feet on the other. I was planning on using a drop board and have open vents on the top. So 5" on the top for the vent then 18" under that for the first roost, then 12" for the second roost, and 12" to the drop board. So the drop board will be just above the nest box and the first perch will be 12" above that. I hope that made sense.

However, if I used a drop board it would stretch half way across the coop so I was planning to only have it 2 feet wide so it would catch the first roost and part of the second. Whatever else falls can just be turned with the shavings every few days. I figured this may be a happy medium.

I was looking at this thread here https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/596294/post-your-chicken-coop-pictures-here/40 and saw that a lot of people did not have a lot of windows, just vents up top, and even those who did have more windows did not have an opening in front of the roost. I thought they would like the breeze in the summer but maybe not?

The run is 6x12 so that will be 14.4 sf per bird so I went a bit bigger there. In the summer they can use the yard as well.

Sorry I did not reply sooner, I did not notice another post. I added my location, thank you for the suggestion.

Tiana Rose said:

The coop is 2 feet off the ground so the inside coop is 5 feet on one side and 4 feet on the other. I was planning on using a drop board and have open vents on the top. So 5" on the top for the vent then 18" under that for the first roost, then 12" for the second roost, and 12" to the drop board. So the drop board will be just above the nest box and the first perch will be 12" above that. I hope that made sense.

However, if I used a drop board it would stretch half way across the coop so I was planning to only have it 2 feet wide so it would catch the first roost and part of the second. Whatever else falls can just be turned with the shavings every few days. I figured this may be a happy medium.  

I was looking at this thread here https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/596294/post-your-chicken-coop-pictures-here/40 and saw that a lot of people did not have a lot of windows, just vents up top, and even those who did have more windows did not have an opening in front of the roost. I thought they would like the breeze in the summer but maybe not? 

The run is 6x12 so that will be 14.4 sf per bird so I went a bit bigger there. In the summer they can use the yard as well. 

Sorry I did not reply sooner, I did not notice another post. I added my location, thank you for the suggestion. 

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I am making a coupe that sounds similar to yours. It will be 8 feet long 4 feet deep and 4 foot on one side and 5 foot on the other with a slanted roof. Vance at the roofline. Nest boxes on one and outside the coop. My poop board will be 20 inches from the floor of the coop and the roosts will be about 4 inches above that. My wrists are all going to be on one level. 8 to 12 inches apart. Which means I can get either three or four roosts and it will take up half the coop links. But the entire floor space will be available to the chickens. They will have plenty of headroom above the roofs and I plan on putting in windows on three sides. They will be able to be opened in the summer because the chickens would appreciate a cool breeze in the summer just not the winter.
This design will give the chickens plenty of light and plenty of ventilation. The food and water will be below the coop and a run will be beside it and also utilizing the space under it.
I am doing this design because I am almost blind, and will continue to lose the rest of my vision. This design lets me reach all corners of the coop and yet not be walking in chicken coop. The entire front part will be two doors that can open for cleaning etc. The chickens are basically just going to use the coop to lay eggs into sleep in at night. They will be roaming the yard the rest of the time.
So yes, put in your windows and make them so they can open in the summer to get that breeze through. I would also suggest painting the inside white and the inside of the nest boxes black or brown or something dark.