Scott Leonard

just a thought for blind corners, keep above eye level

for my money I'd go with straight pure bread big breeds, jersey giant, australorps, black or white giants, all big heavy dense birds.  First batch go straight run,  50/50 chance at 1/2 layers, 1/2  cockrels for meat, well known characteristics, feed conversion, time to lay. separate the roosters out at 10-12 weeks, into the freezer they go. Leave a couple to breed the hens, collect the eggs, into the incubator, and you're rolling

My 2cts worth, 40+ years having birds never put in roosting, poles bars, whatever. I put chicken wire over nests to the ceiling to keep the birds off the nests.  Chickens flock up on the floor, make it through the night .  I build the nests 18" off the floor litter, 24 from the plywood floor, nests 18h x 16W x 12D, 2 high, birds get in and out which ever level they choose fine

Back in the '80's I happened to rent a patch of land, no more than an acre, from a neighbor that had historically been their camper trailer parking spot next to a small river, pretty protected surrounded by big maples, called it their summer home. Wife had to go to assisted and the land became available. First a layer of manure, chix & goat, thick at least twice the normal rate by spreader. It being sod, I pulled one of the shares off a double set of plows so I could go deep, and root prune the edges, i got the frame almost on the ground while turning and it was all a 60 hp 4x4 deere could handle, let the ground rest for a couple of weeks, went back and put a minimum of a foot layer of compost turned under with a tiller run north/south and the east/west.    I planted a variety of pole bean called Northeaster, I still go with this variety every year, our own saved seed.  Planted 2 100 foot rows,  running North/South10 feet apart on 8 foot t posts on 9 ga annealed wire, top and bottom, strung with baling twine every 4 in to run up, use this set-up still. Panted back row 1st waited 2 weeks and then front.  Those beans came in so thick and strong I was picking 10 - 12 5 gal pails every other day. The vines ran up the trellis and showed no sign of slowing so I put 12 ga wire on an x pattern post to post over head, the beans filled in the canopy and we go up to 18 pails a picking, sold tons off the stand, neighbors and family got sick of getting bags of beans.  
 The point(s) of this ramble is you'll have to 1. go deep to the root zone to cut off competition from the trees, 2. fertilize to excess and mix in very well. 3.  if you trellis to 20' you'll have to get  up there to pick, up and down, up and down will get old quick.
The variety usually runs 8-10 ft but yearly evidence points to the limits of condition/fertility governs the growth limits, plan accordingly, see to the end of the plan

I'm saving my money for an electronic H2O moisture meter

I used to sterilize the mix when we first started on the transplants trade , 30 yrs ago.  I found that three main points govern the success of a tray of starts, 1. media contact, the grow media must be fine enough to permit great seed contact, 2. moisture, the media must retain moisture but still drain well, 3. warmth nothing impedes germination and invites disease like cold grow media, every seed packet these days has a germination temp range printed on it, hit the range in the middle no problems. I design and created our own compost based media 20 + years ago, its an evolutionary, results based process but doesn't negate the attention to detail needed for healthy plants.  I start everything in the greenhouse using a combination of heat mats and heated cabinets

I use hemlock/pine/oak/birch/maple sawdust off our bandsaw lumber mill, our coops are 16x8, deep litter 3+ yds at initial fill, with a 32 gal barrel of wood ash added on top. The birds will take care of the stirring, mixing as they scratch & dust in the ash, keeps them mite free as a bonus

Maybe Butter Pecan?

"Ownership Cult" ? odd turn of phrase, if you mean a brand loyalty specifically Deere, that was born during the Depression (1st) when Deere didn't and wouldn't foreclose on equipment when the farmers couldn't make the payments,  incredibly astute marketing move.

McCormick disappeared into the IH conglomerate years ago, resurfacing as a nameplate on who knows who built machinery.

Any warranty- note not guarantee -is only as good as the company making it Ag company's go as quick as they start.

Another favorite saying of my grandfather "In this trade (farming) you shouldn't have if you can't fix it", you'll just make the dealership happy

In the end, the one looking back at you in the mirror will let you know if you did the right thing

I put down manure then straw- thick- and deep when starting a bed.  . Out our way cow manure goes on the beds thinly with a spreader, with snow on the ground, chix even though in litter is still pretty hot. I like compost scratched between rows, the crowns will reach for it, and there's little possibility of damage