Soon to be new chicken Mama

I am from the big state of Texas in a little town north of Beaumont.  I have been reading on this forum for over a yr but never joined until now.  I haven't gotten any chicks yet because my neighbors white sultan decided to sit on some eggs in our brooder.  Some eggs are hers and some are white leghorns.  My neighbor doesn't provide a nice, safe home for his flock and that is how I found this site. I am always doctoring his sick or injured chickens.  The older ones free range but younger ones are penned up next to some young dogs that are penned next to the young ones.  Well, they got one three nights ago.  She is about 5 months old and jumped in their pen to get their food.  Usually these puppies don't hurt the chickens but this time they scalped her neck from behind her ears all the way to the base.  I have her in a dog carrier, wrapped up with neosporin, low dose aspirin and penicillan g shots.  I know the ritual of cuts and varmit attacks.  I go through this probably about 4-5 times a yr because I guess he doesn't care about them.  My husband gets frustrated with me but I can't leave them to die a horrible death.  She is slowly recovering and I let her out for a few hrs a day supervised by me.  I had chickens when I was a kid.  I spoiled them rotten.  I am interested in getting some white silkies whenever I get my brooder free.  I have read that they are very docile but can't really fly well.  I think my husband finally agreed to let me have some chickens so I would leave the neighbors injured ones alone.  You would think after 23 yrs of marriage, he would know better.  LOL  We are going to start building our coop within the next month or two.  Thanks to all the wonderful people, who shared their knowledge on this site that has helped me with every one of his injured chickens.  I was able to save 6 out of 8, the ones that didn't make it had leg problems.  I look forward to being a part of such a wonderful group.

Hey there, we are almost neighbors.  My neighbor knows that I am always doctoring up his chickens.  I hate to say it but he just doesn't care.  He isn't really getting any rewards since his 2 hens keep laying their eggs in my pot belly pigs pen.  Sometimes, I bring them to him but most of the time I keep them.  He never even asks or comes to look for the eggs so his loss.  He has 5 young chickens that are in his yard in the pen but they aren't old enough to lay eggs.   He has lost two flocks of chickens 2 yrs ago because he had big dogs then.  I just don't understand why someone would leave their chickens unprotected after they know that a critter is getting them.  He doesn't even have a coop for them or any shelter for them to get out of the sun or rain.  His rooster is roosting in the pig pen and his 2 hens are in the crepe myrtle nearby.  

Forgot to mention that we haven't started the coop yet.  I hope we will be able to within a month or two at the latest.  I understand about finances especially with school.  Just hang in there.  I have been looking at a lot of coop designs on here.  Pretty neat ideas and someone made theirs out of a lil tykes playhouse.