Good that you are thinking ahead!
Have you investigated local city and county ordinances? So sad when people end up losing a flock under threat of fines or worse. Are you in an HOA neighborhood? Their rules override county rules.
What is your property like? Start with natural shade in summer that will get winter sun when the light comes more from the south.
Do you have low land, prone to flooded areas? Wet chickens stink and cannot keep warm. You will need to bring in soil and put study wire under it because the chickens will dig out. You would also want an elevated coop.
Are you dealing with a slope? Think how run off will move around the coop and run.
How rural are you? This affects the types of predators you are most likely to have to guard against...dogs, bears, hawks, eagles, weasel? What you got?
Chicken wire keeps chickens in, it does not keep predators out. The type of predators you have will decide what kind of fencing you need. It can get expensive. Are you on a very limited budget? Start watching Craigslist and freecycle now to collect useful materials.
If you get snow, you have to have a coop large enough to keep the chickens from going bonkers during foul weather. I had 3 chickens in a small safe coop. The coop was inside a six by 10 covered and fenced area, where the nest box is (one was enough, but I made it large enough for two chickens at a time), with access to a run of about 500 sq feet. It is bald. Not one green plant remains, and the soil is so churned you would think I rototill it weekly. I let them out to free range the yard for a few hours each day, too...
Will water and electric be run to them? Does water freeze in your winters?
What I wish I had done was to use 1/4 inch hardware cloth around the entire covered area to keep out rodents and snakes. I hate finding rat poop in there, although they cannot get into the small coop.
I wish I had electric for a summer fan.
I wish I had made a sloped roof, instead of a flat roof.
I ended up putting chicken wire around the picket fenced run to contain my escape artist.
I did end up putting bird net over the entire run when a hawk landed five feet from me on my grill to eyeball what it thought was an easy chicken lunch.
I have removed several plants I did not know were toxic.
I wish my coop was pretty or charming!
Well, I hope this helps get you started!
and Welcome To BYC!
