Hi thanks for the information we will look up the books at the library . We're only getting 4 chickens at most we have a very small backyard. Yes we're taking the class at Grace brothers .
Of course! Personally I think that all the coops sold at Grace Brothers are too small for more than 2 chickens (regardless of how many they say they hold). If they are in close quarters they will likely start picking on each other. Edited to add: all the coops I've seen for sale in front of their North Royalton location are too small but the largest one of their website The Hen Plaza looks like the right dimensions for 4-8 hens.
We built our own and spent over $400 for the coop and at least another $200 for the run (we made it human height and hardware cloth is expensive). Our run isn't covered but we will be covering it this year (we have bird netting on top which has been great against predators but I want to add plastic panels to keep the rain and snow out). It took a lot of weekends and was quite stressful.
There are a few craftsmen on Craigslist that have good size coops under $1000 (which is what most commercially sold coops start at).
http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/grq/4833715676.html https://cleveland.craigslist.org/grd/4912369331.html (another family in Berea has one from the second link). If it doesn't have good ventilation near the top, ask them to add it. A drive down to Medina or Berlin may be worthwhile.
Also be aware of chicken math. We got six chicks last April, one turned out to be a roo so we gave it away. Now we are getting three more chicks on Monday. I want a couple more layers beyond that for eggs for the neighbors and family but the husband refuses to expand.
Edited to add: Look for breeds with smaller combs. We love our Easter Egger, she is the only one who didn't get any frostbite this winter. She was the first to lay, lays 5-6 eggs a week and they are a beautiful blue-green!
Our Buff Orpington only got a tiny bit of mild frostbite on the very tips of her small comb. She lays 4-5 pinkish brown eggs a week and is super friendly and loves to snuggle. While our Black Copper Marans lays gorgeous dark brown eggs, she got the worst frostbite on her large comb and hasn't laid since December
Our Golden Buff (red sex-link) has a big comb and got frostbite but never slowed down laying. She skips only one day a month. She is friendly when it comes to treats but not snuggly. My favorite as far as temperment is our Silver Grey Dorking, but it might not be the best choice if you are only getting 4 chickens as she was the last to lay and lays medium-small white eggs, though she does lay 5-6 a week.
I would look into Wyandottes (rose combs), Sussex (great layers, friendly and smaller single combs), Australorps (great layers, cold hardy) oh and Buckeyes (pea comb, good layers, developed in Ohio).
