Hi, Jared. I've been a chicken farmer for two whole years now, and for the first year-plus of that time I really was a "chicken" farmer because I only had one chicken.
First things first - make certain the new coop is secure from predators and that it is well cleaned before you even think about putting new chicks in it.
After that, people like chickens for different reasons and it's kind of important to be clear on your reasons. I want temperament and talented egg laying in my flock. I'm not interested in showing my birds or selling eggs, or having a source of meat, but I did want a purebred flock so I could have purebred chicks to sell locally.
There is a difference between "docile" and "friendly." Chickens that are known to be "docile" are generally not aggressive to humans or other breeds. Making chickens friendly takes time and developing the "friend" part with your bird, but some breeds are friendlier than others. Brahmas, Buff Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Barred Rocks and Australorps are all considered docile, easy to handle breeds, and the Orpingtons and the Barred Rocks are considered "friendly" as well, and these are among the most popular backyard breeds. They are also considered "dual purpose," which means they make a good "table" bird for eating. Many people find Easter Eggers quite friendly, and that is my experience also. People routinely report that Speckled Sussex are insanely friendly and gregarious, and many people also report that their Barred Plymouth Rocks are
their friendliest chickens in their flocks. If I could have Speckled Sussex bantams I would in a heartbeat, but I cannot find any, so I'm looking at getting some Buff Orpington bantams this year. (I love my bantams, they're so little and cute.) Salmon Faverolles are also very docile, and some people report them as being quite friendly, too. Brahmas, many Orpingtons, and Salmon Faverolles are routinely bullied in flocks with other breeds, however, and it is always something to consider when choosing your breeds. Barred Rocks have a reputation for not being bullies and not being bullied, but being very enjoyable birds that do well in mixed flocks, and so do the Speckled Sussex. All of these breeds are widely popular and have stood the test of time for good reason!
Here on BYC you can go to the "Breeds" link at the top of the page and sort by "Highest Rated." You will immediately find the most popular breeds (#1 is Buff Orpington), and numerous posts by folks sharing their experience with the breeds. It is very helpful.
For your babies - you want heat. Lamps and the EcoGlow "brooder" provide a heat source that allows the chicks to manage their own comfort zone if you set things up correctly. The first week your chicks are hatched the temperature needs to be 95 degrees. The second week they are alive, the temperature should be 90 degrees, and the third week they prefer the temperature at 85 degrees, and so on until they are sufficiently feathered, which is around six to eight weeks of age. You can tell when they are good to go without supplemental heat because they will be all over the place, taking up as much room as you will give them. If they are huddled together under the heat, it means they're cold. If they are as far away from it as they can get, they're too warm.
So, set up the heat source so the chicks can move closer or farther away from it as they need to. You don't want to limit their ability to move away from the heat when they need to by having your box too small, and you don't want them right on the heat source with temperatures lower than they need to be, either. Monitor it carefully, especially if you only have a few chicks, like fewer than ten, because the
number of chicks + the
temperature +
size of your brooder = your chicks' ability to successfully manage their comfort.
Don't feed medicated feed to them without reason. They need fresh water all the time, and you will need a chick waterer or rocks in their water to prevent them from falling in and drowning the first couple of weeks. They are very messy, and you may want to clean their water a few times a day at first. They are adorable and hilarious. Like all babies, they sleep a lot, sometimes suddenly just slowing down and falling over on their little faces right where they are. The older they get, the more they will be awake and active.
Watch for "pasty butt" in the early days.
If your chicks are newly hatched, either locally or from a hatchery, put them on paper towels for the first few days after you get them, feeding them on the towels so they learn what is food. After a few days you can switch to shavings or whatever you plan on using, and at that time you should place their feed in a feeder.
Keep your eyes on them for any signs they might not be healthy and if one appears at all ill or injured, you must remove it immediately - the others will peck at it.
After that the only thing I can think of is, have fun, and it is fun. I never imagined chickens would be so enjoyable.
