Hello,
I read your post tonight and am answering hoping you and my Wife can talk with each other. My Wife is the chicken lover, I just go along with the program. (But they are kind of cool) We've had chickens for only a couple years now, so, we're fairly new at it. My Wife knows all the breeds and other particulars that elude me. All I know is their names.
I don't know what part of town you live in, but we use Green's Feed for all our animal and poultry needs. Just a few months ago we bought four new chicks (one day old) from them. This our first experience starting from scratch. The other chickens were mostly a rescue operation.
I also noticed you have Mastiffs. A good friend of mine in Georgia raises, sells, and shows Mastiffs. She's very knowledgeable on the breed and if you wanted I could try to get you two together for any information you might want or need. Haven't had communication for quite a few years, so, I'm guessing she's still in the same place.
So, good luck on your venture and hope to hear back from you.
Ron R.
My Wife's name is Cyndie.