Welcome to BYC. One thing I would strongly recommend is to use the search box on top of the forum. Any question that pops into your mind, type it in the box and you're 99.9% sure to get a thread (actually multiple threads) with the answer. When I started I was amazed how much info is here, including answers to some pretty obscure questions I had.
You're definitely doing the right thing by researching now. I spent about 6 months reading EVERYTHING on this forum and had everything in place before the chicks arrived.
On the coop questions - please really think that one out. It's a very common mistake for people to order chicks, panic when they start getting big, and throw some kind of coop together without a plan. Then they show up in a thread a little while later in the Predators subforum when their flock gets eaten. The coop will really depend on your budget, how much room in the yard you have, zoning, construction skills (or knowing somebody that builds), and what you want out of the chicks. You said pets and eggs (which is what I have them for, in that order) so predator proofing will be pretty high on your list I would think. Remember the spacing rules, 4 sq. ft per bird in the coop, and 10 sq. ft in the run (minimums). If you plan on free ranging, expect predator loses at some point. I started out with a decent little pre-made coop (that met the sq. ft per bird rules above) for about 2 years and learned to absolutely hate it. After that, I built a MUCH larger coop that I designed myself, taking into account all the things I hated about the smaller coop. Both me and the girls are much happier now with the new design.
I went from this:
(coop 6 x 4, three run sections, each 4x4)
To this: (use the shed at the right for size comparison)
Coop is 16x10, and run is 20x10
One other important thing to start thinking about - have a first aid kit ready before the chicks arrive. Things like Corid, sav-a-chick, Safeguard (dewormer), blu-kote, styptic powder, and tylan are just a few of the things you'd want to have on hand (and I've used all of the above in only a few years of chicken keeping). If you haven't been to your local farm store (like Tractor Supply), swing by and see what's available (lots!) to help you out.
Zoning/HOA - also make sure you're allowed to have birds where you are. Know the laws regarding number of birds, can you have roosters or not (I can't), coop setbacks from property lines, etc. That's another pretty common mistake that usually results in heartbreak when a neighbor turns somebody in to the county or HOA and they lose their flock.
Flock - you're going to get a million different answers on both where to get them and what breeds. My $0.02: I've ordered twice from Meyer Hatchery out of Ohio and been 100% pleased. All birds arrived safely and thrived, and I was able to vaccinate all of mine for Mareks Disease. Ordering from a hatchery will allow you to mix and match what breeds you want, and they will sex the birds (with 90+% accuracy) so you only get hens. Some very friendly breeds I've had: Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, Speckled Sussex, and Delaware. Click here https://www.meyerhatchery.com/produ...A5WSessionId=26a08cdb3b8446a993aca32654df8dfb and click on characteristics - a good tool for researching which breeds (link to Meyer's Buff Orpington)
Good luck with your new endeavor and keep reading everything on this site!
You're definitely doing the right thing by researching now. I spent about 6 months reading EVERYTHING on this forum and had everything in place before the chicks arrived.
On the coop questions - please really think that one out. It's a very common mistake for people to order chicks, panic when they start getting big, and throw some kind of coop together without a plan. Then they show up in a thread a little while later in the Predators subforum when their flock gets eaten. The coop will really depend on your budget, how much room in the yard you have, zoning, construction skills (or knowing somebody that builds), and what you want out of the chicks. You said pets and eggs (which is what I have them for, in that order) so predator proofing will be pretty high on your list I would think. Remember the spacing rules, 4 sq. ft per bird in the coop, and 10 sq. ft in the run (minimums). If you plan on free ranging, expect predator loses at some point. I started out with a decent little pre-made coop (that met the sq. ft per bird rules above) for about 2 years and learned to absolutely hate it. After that, I built a MUCH larger coop that I designed myself, taking into account all the things I hated about the smaller coop. Both me and the girls are much happier now with the new design.
I went from this:
(coop 6 x 4, three run sections, each 4x4)
To this: (use the shed at the right for size comparison)
Coop is 16x10, and run is 20x10
One other important thing to start thinking about - have a first aid kit ready before the chicks arrive. Things like Corid, sav-a-chick, Safeguard (dewormer), blu-kote, styptic powder, and tylan are just a few of the things you'd want to have on hand (and I've used all of the above in only a few years of chicken keeping). If you haven't been to your local farm store (like Tractor Supply), swing by and see what's available (lots!) to help you out.
Zoning/HOA - also make sure you're allowed to have birds where you are. Know the laws regarding number of birds, can you have roosters or not (I can't), coop setbacks from property lines, etc. That's another pretty common mistake that usually results in heartbreak when a neighbor turns somebody in to the county or HOA and they lose their flock.
Flock - you're going to get a million different answers on both where to get them and what breeds. My $0.02: I've ordered twice from Meyer Hatchery out of Ohio and been 100% pleased. All birds arrived safely and thrived, and I was able to vaccinate all of mine for Mareks Disease. Ordering from a hatchery will allow you to mix and match what breeds you want, and they will sex the birds (with 90+% accuracy) so you only get hens. Some very friendly breeds I've had: Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, Speckled Sussex, and Delaware. Click here https://www.meyerhatchery.com/produ...A5WSessionId=26a08cdb3b8446a993aca32654df8dfb and click on characteristics - a good tool for researching which breeds (link to Meyer's Buff Orpington)
Good luck with your new endeavor and keep reading everything on this site!
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