I don't know where in central MI you are but, you can get fertile eggs from Michigan state's department of animal science for $5.00 a dozen and there are quite a few breeds to choose from.
www.canr.msu.edu/dept/ans/community/facilities/poultry_farm.html
Hello, Chalk one more up for the northern MI area. I live in Antrim county. We bought 11 hens from somebody in town a couple months ago and I've been lurking around this site ever since. I have wanted chickens ever since we moved up here from detroit a few years ago but it wasn't untill we...
but straw is much cheaper.
This depends on where you live I pay $2.00 per bale of straw and $5.00-$10.00 for a dump truck load of fresh dry shavings.
I use shavings on the floor and straw in the houses