Thanks for the welcome.I'm going to come right out and admit I don't know the first thing about this. How to make the coop , how much space is needed etc. My goal is to have both layers and chickens for meat, and to try to keep a steady rotation going of young birds and layers and birds for eating. If there is a do all breed that is what I would be most interested in. Looking forward to a great learning experience.
You might want to check out our Coop Designs section at https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coops. Just be sure that you have a minimum of 4 sq. ft. of floor space for each bird (more is better) in the coop and 10 sq. ft. of ground space (again, more is better) if you add a run onto the coop. Some other sites you might want to check out are http://freebies.about.com/od/free-plans/tp/free-chicken-coop-plans.htm and http://www.countryliving.com/outdoor/outdoor-living/ultimate-chicken-coop#slide-1. As for eggs and meat, there are two different ways to go. You can get two separate types of chickens for each. If you go this route, I would recommend Black Sex Links for eggs (they are friendly, hardy, egg laying machines), and Cornish cross for meat (with their fantastic growth rates, they are ready for butchering at 8 weeks). Or as drumstick diva suggested, you can go with a dual purpose breed for both. Some excellent dual purpose breeds are Australorps (the best layers of this group), Orpingtons (lots of meat on them), Sussex, Wyandottes, and Plymouth Rocks. There are some quick breed reference charts to help you at http://albc-usa.etapwss.com/images/uploads/docs/pickachicken.pdf, http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/breed-list.aspx, and http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html; and Murray McMurray has an excellent "chick selector" tool at http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chick_selector.html to help you select the best breed for you. Just be sure and click on "show more characteristics."No breed in mind yet. I added a post on this thread outlining what my goal is. All information is appreciated. Thanks again.