Man...I'm overwhelmed with all the kind words and helpful suggestions. Thank you all for the compliments!
Firstly, I really think I was being absent-minded about the lowest rung of my roost. I think I will need to put a crate down, or something else to make the winged hop up easier. Thank you for reminding me of that. I didn't want to carry the existing one further down, as it would create poop underneath it where the ingress/egress for their small door is. I figured they could make the jump. Maybe not! And yes, that little door will be closed at night. I'm just going to hinge a 1x10" piece of siding over it with an i-hook on the inside. As for the poop door. Having one would make it a lot easier for removing poop. All I'd have to do it just open it, and start pushing it out. No doubt. So why didn't I put one in? Well, I thought it would be easy enough with a wheel-barrel from within the shed. Also, with windows and doors everywhere already, it just would have made it that much more work when siding (board and bat with framing around each opening) the structure. If I hate the wheel-barrel, I'll put one in on the backside later.
Straw vs. shavings. You know, when I was at the guys home where the lumber was milled (he has a portable saw mill), I asked him, what do you do with all this saw dust/shavings? He then pleaded with me to take it. But, it is acidic, and I want to compost the poo-straw/poo-shavings. So, I thought I might try it some time, and just ad some agricultural lime to it to bring down the pH. For now, I'm just starting with straw. I wonder if any of you have experience with using shavings, and how fine they can be before they might become problematic?
Yes, the windows that are openable within the coop are covered in hardware cloth (mesh). Thank you though! I once lived in the Sierra Foothills. When our daughter was 14, I built a modest coop. The areas of mesh were in chicken wire. Isn't that what you're suppose to use, after all? Well, we had seven hens, and some predator actually chewed through the wire and killed three hens one night. So now I use the heavier welded stuff.
Yesterday I bought a feeder and water fount. I'll install those sometime before the chicks arrive.
Cost? Yeah, I know. It cost a pretty penny. But, BUT...it was a labor of love, and it looks good on our 2.5 acres. I was willing to spend the dough, and I'm happy with how it turned out. And yes, in the Summer when the wood is thoroughly dry, I will put a semi-transparent red stain on it.
Thanks again to all who made suggestions and compliments.
Brian
