Hi! I'm I'm VA too and my boyfriend built our coop from scraps we had laying around. The only things I spent money on was the hardware (hinges, door latches, screws and staples) and chicken wire. Our total investment including chickens, coop, feeders, waterers and feed was $60.
He did a great job. We joked that his new business would be in building and selling custom coops
Greeting Virginian!
My state of residance for 10 years!
Buff orpingtons are wonderful soft birds and lay fairly well.
Stay away from the cornish, encourage our duel purpose heritage birds.
Make sure your birds have a fencing around their house that is completely covered overhead.
Predators will kill em.
Get a solar powered automatic closing door, expensive, but very cool. I don't have one, but drool and will one day.
Decide if your going to keep them past their 1 year laying peak or not, early on.
Combining age groups is brutal and time consuming, but possible.
Any questions, I've learned a lot these 3 years, and the hard way.
Well worth it!