I have to say the best advice I could give to someone starting out is to ask questions ask questions ask questions. The great thing about this site is that people know the answers - and almost always from experience. While not everyone agrees on exactly what to do in every situation, you can always find a consensus. I have relied on this site for feeding and watering techniques, how to help sick chickens, locating people in my area, how to correctly clean my coop, both daily and deep clean, and so much more. I also met some fantastic people in my community who I've become friends with because of this site. Ask questions, read answers. Draw on the wealth of experience, literally at your fingertips. That's the exact same advice I gave a friend who is starting his research and it's exactly what I WISH someone had told me when I started. I'm nearly a year into a fully-functioning backyard chicken farm and I rely on this site almost daily to keep me informed.