Hello from NJ, soon to be TX!

Hi!

We are a family of three (plus a cat and a min-pin) who currently live on a military base in central NJ, but have purchased what we hope will be our "forever home" on 3 acres outside Granbury, TX. We will be moving to our new home in May and we will be there for a year while my husband serves a remote tour. We are hoping that his follow on assignment will be in North Texas, but failing that we have only two more years till retirement (woot!)

My husband casually mentioned that "when we get settled I'd like to get some chickens." and I did this.

But, being the good wife, I started researching chickens. Now I have about 30 bookmarks, some new books, and have read multiple websites researching chicks, coops, materials, food, chickens in gardens, etc., etc., and furthermore!

Now that I'm all excited I have a ton of questions, but I'll go and try to find the right places to post them. Luckily for my family's sanity I can't actually do any purchasing for awhile (it will be early June by the time we get back from my husband's change of command).

One question that probably doesn't have a proper place, so I'll go ahead and ask it now. I can "guarantee" that we will be in this home for 1 year. After that it is anybody's guess for the next two years until retirement. Would it be silly to raise some chicks just for the year? Obviously if we can stay there it would be awesome, but if we have to move again is it cruel/irresponsible/unethical to get chicks knowing that I'd have to sell them or give them away? I wouldn't do that with another pet (dog, cat), but I don't know of a single military base that would allow me to keep chickens in housing.

Thanks in advance for all the great advice, I've already been helped a great deal!

P.S. I promise NEVER to ask what DE is!