My advice is to go to the library and check out and read every book you can about raising chickens. You have all winter to learn about diseases, housing, proper types of food for different ages, what is poison, how to keep them healthy, what to keep in your chicken first aid kit and so much more. Yes a chicken first aid kit. You will need, at a minimum, blood stop powder, neosporin antibiotic ointment (with out the pain relief ingredient because it is poison to chickens) lice and mite dust, non stick bandage pads and an antiseptic called betadine. You can find it even at Wal mart and you dilute it with water to make it a strong tea color if you have a wounded chicken and have to clean it before bandaging. A box of latex gloves from the pharmacy and old, clean rags are highly recommended.
You will even get to know what a good poop looks like and what a bad poop looks like. Also read this forum and learn learn learn. Very knowledgeable people here and very understanding. When one of my chickens was attacked by a dog and was dying the people here were so calming and soothing and non judgemental. They prayed for me and with me and when my little one died everyone had a kind work. Just about everyone knows how you feel because they have lost a pet/chicken also.
Look under the emergency section, the pest and predator section and what to feed your flock section. This way you will know what you will need for a very secure coop and what to look for when a disease starts so you can treat ASAP.
I have a subscription of Backyard Poultry magazine and highly recommend that also. Having chickens is very rewarding but there will be a few bumps along the road so be prepared. A hawk just carried one of my 5 week old babies away and I was 10 feet from her! I want to wring that hawks neck! I want to but won't because it's a federal crime. Just want to clear that up so no one feels like they have to call the feds.
Have fun and welcome to Backyard Chicken!!!!