Add a large vent in the peak that you can open and shut. I've never lost chickens in the cold, but heat gets them. Also, make sure the center of the building doesn't have anything you can hit your head on when you stand back up with a pitchfork full of nasty bedding. Make provisions to be able to fix a light on a timer in the winter. I use one of those desk lamps with a clamp on it plugged into a timer. Also, make a raised box on the floor to keep the water up out of the bedding so that your water heater isn't close to flammable stuff in the winter. I have my feeders hang at about the same level as the chickens' backs. They mess up less that way.
Put the door for you opposite of the door for them. Until a batch gets older they will scatter when you walk in the coop. It is lots easier when they can go out rather than fluttering and raising dust in there with you holding your breath. That also helps because you can partition off part of it when you get a new flock and can still give the young ones room to move about.
I see your point about getting eggs, but I really think you want to go in there. You will have a chance to see everyone and have them be used to people. There's nothing worse than chickens who don't see people enough and freak out every time you walk around the side of the pen. I have a batch that has free reign of the whole farm. I feel like the pied piper because when I walk somewhere they run to follow me. They are the best laying 13 hens I have seen. Way better than the two dozen in the other house (and they are twice as old). They are very content and like people. The others are a hot mess - I won't have that breed again.
Put a square of mouse poison in each wall stud. It may only last five years before it is gone, but that will be five glorious years. I use bait boxes and wish I had more in the walls. I've never had chickens bother mice poisoned with bait. If they can't get to the bait you are good to go.
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Today's Featured Article - Timing Your Magneto Ignition Tractor - by Chris Pratt. If you have done major engine work or restored your tractor, chances are you removed the magneto and spark plug wires and eventually reached the point where you had to put it all back together and make it run. On our first cosmetic restoration, not having a manual, we carefully marked the wires, taped the magneto in the position it came off, and were careful not to turn the engine over while we had these components off. We thought we could get by with this since the engine ran perfectly and would not need any internal work. After the cleanup and painting was done, we began reassembly and finally came to t
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