Welcome fzouk!
I'm down in sumner county,portland. I had my first chicks of this spring hatch out today. A silkie hen hatched 11 out of twelve eggs! They were all EE bantams except one.
You need to get you some gunieas for the ticks. They are known for beinng tick eaters. Good luck on spangles,they are a beautiful breed.
I thought about some guineas for the ticks and may still get some. I have some friends hatching some soon. I wanted to see how my gentle but energetic dog does with the chickens- I think she'll be OK, but I figured the chickens being more domestic would handle HER better than guineas. BUT then again the only chicken experience I had was when I was a kid. Ours took care of the bugs around our house though and in south-east Texas that's a BIG accomplishment! If all goes well with the chickens I will probably add a few guineas to the mix.