I’m in Wisconsin… blowing snow will go up and through vents… however I have some large 6x18 vents that open at 70 and close at 35degrees along with 6 -6” soffit vents that will be always open, 3 windows and 1 door with screen as ventilation…Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you located? Climate matters, especially for housing.
Storage in the coop is a great idea and protecting the stored items from chicken dust is an even better idea.
One issue I see with your plan is the corner roost bars. That design appeals to a human sense of efficiency and aesthetics, but it isn't functional for chickens because the ends near the wall are unusable -- costing you at least a foot of effective length on each end.
This is one of the places where climate MATTERS. Here's a quote from an article I'm writing:
But I free range/have a huge run and my chickens only use the coop to sleep and lay eggs! Why do I need all that space inside?You might not. As I've said, these are guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules.If you never close the pop door so that your coop and run function together as a fully integrated system that is the equivalent of a huge, open-air coop, then your flock might be just fine for years, even decades.If you are always out there to open the pop door at the crack of dawn or you have an ultra-reliable automatic door so that your chickens never lack access to their free range territory during the daylight hours, then your flock might be just fine for years, even decades.If you live in a mild climate where chickens can always go out into their run/range and are never kept in by snow or storms, then your flock might be just fine for decades. People who keep chickens in places with tropical and subtropical climates do successfully go without a coop at all, just offering a covered roost and some nestboxes.But when something happens ...When a determined predator moves in and breaks through the fencing so that you have to confine the flock to the coop itself so that you can fix the run,When an extreme weather event prevents your chickens from leaving shelter for days,When an emergency calls you out of town and you can't find someone willing to be there at the crack of dawn to open the pop door,Then you could have a mess on your hands.Which brings us back to the issue of flexibility and options. Any time you push a system hard against it's limits you have to count on everything remaining stable -- exactly as it is without any changes. How well that's likely to work depends on your specific circumstances. You may never encounter an unfortunate circumstance -- some people DO hit the lottery, after all.
You mentioned blowing snow in one post. If that means snow enough that the chickens don't want to go out then you need extra space in the coop beyond the recommended 4 square feet per adult, standard-sized hen minimum.
In re: ventilation -- at least 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation per adult, standard-sized hen -- soffit and gable or soffit and ridge vents are and excellent, weather-proof options. Likewise a monitor or a functional cupola (my Little Monitor Coop was unoccupied during Hurricane Florence but when I checked inside afterward it was perfectly dry). The key is sufficient roof overhang.
Alternately, top-hinged windows that can be opened wide in good weather or just cracked in inclement weather and which form their own awning.
This is a good point.
In addition to feed, bales of straw/shavings, egg cartons, and spare equipment I've found the need to store certain small items -- packets of Sav-a-chick, the fence tester, spare horizontal nipples, etc. We're on the lookout for a wall-mount cabinet -- maybe discarded after someone's kitchen remodel -- to mount on the wall under the roof overhang next to where the tool rack will be.
(I'm in an extremely mild climate so I don't actually need walls around my storage).
BTDT.
Welcome to BYC! @sustainusfarm
