We are a family of four from Maryland. This is our first flock and my wife and I have zero experience raising chickens. As a child, I spent every waking moment helping out on my grandparents beef cattle and horse farm and also was a maple syrup producer. We now live on the eastern shore or Maryland on a 1 acre lot that is surrounded by large agricultural fields (supporting this areas huge chicken industry). We have 6 Rhode Island Reds that just started laying a few days ago. I turned to this site for my inspiration on coop design and any other questions I had along the way. Now it's our turn to share our experience.