I've got chicks on the way!
We were going to just get adults, but due to availability, cost, bonding, etc., we decided to order chicks.
All will be bantam sized. Silkies (for me) and then for the rest of the family who wants eggs - Easter Egger Bantams, Dominique Bantams, and Buff Orpington Bantams.
We ordered 25 planning on losing some due to natural causes and having some roos. In the end, we would like to end up with about 8-9 hens that are healthy and have good temperament. I think with them being bantam sized, we could fit a few more in our 4' x 8' coop (very large run), but 15 or so would be max and that would be more of a temporary situation. I know we will have more than that as they grow as I know we will have to wait a while to sex the silkies.
However, my dad said that knowing our luck, they'd throw in a few extra and almost all would end up being hens, and they would all live. (Although some might consider that lucky, when you aren't wanting that, it isn't lucky.) So, he said we should probably just go ahead and plan on adding a second coop as I won't be able to follow through with getting rid of the extras! LOL, I'm not sure I want to be taking care of that many chickens that are all the same age!
I want to keep them inside the first week so that I can monitor them frequently. We have some large boxes that would probably work. After that, into the garage. My dad suggested using a water trough in there, but I have to see how big it is. The temperature would probably control how long they would need to be in the smaller trough before they could be put out into the coop. You all know Texas weather... I came up with plans for a brooder to build that was either a 4'x6' or a 3'x6', but that would take time and the cost of materials. The trough would be free, but unless it is one of the large ones, I'm not convinced it would be big enough, even for bantam chicks, for all that long..