1) for those who build their coop, what did you do for ventilation? This worries me the most.
What have you done for ventilation? If you haven't done anything yet, what are you working with? It doesn't matter what I've done, my coop is certain to be totally different to yours. If we know what you are working with we can be of more help. So where are you in the process?
Roughly, where are you? It can help us give better information if we knw what your summers and winters will be like. If you modify your profile to show a general location that info will always be available and it can come in handy for a lot of different reasons, not just climate.
2) best bedding options to keep my pulletts warm? It’s suppose to snow Sunday and Monday but then shoot back up to the 40s during day and 30s at night.
At that age they should be fully feathered. If they were younger it changes. When they are sleeping on the roosts they are not in the bedding. Bedding is not what keeps them warm, their down and feathers manage that. What they need is decent ventilation and good breeze protection. If they have that they will be fine whether they are sleeping on wood shavings, wood chips, dirt, up on the roost well away from the bedding, or anything else.
Where bedding comes in handy is to keep things dry. Think of bedding as a diaper, it absorbs moisture. When they poop it wicks moisture away. So a good dry bedding can help with that. No matter what someone mentions as a possible bedding someone can find something to bad to say about it. Some typical things used as bedding in the coop are wood shavings, hay, straw, dried grass clippings, and shredded dried leaves. Some people turn their coop floor into a compost pile so you can find just about anything in there.
3) any tips or tricks to transferring chicks from the home to the coop?
I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no supplemental heat. Those chicks had great ventilation up high and great breeze protection down low where they were.
My chicks are raised in a brooder built into the coop. One end was kept toasty warm but the far end cooled off as it would. Some mornings I'd find ice in it. The chicks went into that brooder straight from the incubator or post office. As long as they have a spot warm enough in the coldest temperatures and a spot cool enough in the warmest conditions they are really good at keeping themselves comfortable. People are sometimes surprised at how much time they will spend in pretty cold temperatures before they go back to a warm spot to warm up. The point in all this is that mine were acclimated. Cold was not a stranger to them. If you can acclimate your chicks before they go out they are better off. If you can take them outside in cold weather and let them play. That could be in the coop or run. It could be in some type of baby bed or something like that where they can easily be caught. At that age they are quick and if they don't want to be caught you could have some challenges.
I like to move mine in the mornings of possible. That lets me check on them later in the day to see how they are doing.
In your weather I'd keep them locked in the coop only for a while, not allow them in the run. Let them get used to the coop being home before they have access to the run. They should have better breeze protection in there. Be patient, you don't have to rush things.
When you decide to give them access to the run just open the pop door and walk away. Or hang around and watch from a distance. Sometimes when I do this all of them are on the ground outside within 15 minutes. Sometimes it takes 3 days before they are all outside. It can be hilarious watching them go to the door, look out to see what is there, and then back off. Nope, not doing it. Not me. That's one of my favorite parts of chick TV.
