I only started keeping chickens in late summer and just thought I'd share some of my thoughts with you.
I'm a townie and I had no idea on what to expect or what it would be like but wanted a little taste of 'The Good Life' - hence the fact that two of ours are called Margo & Barbara. (Others deserve a mention too - Gloria and Beryl)
The four girls have brought new sparkle into our lives and getting them is probably one of the best decisions we've ever made. Hens are the easiest things to keep, they are hilarious to watch and all develop their own personalities. And of course, you get yummy eggs like you've never tasted before. You also get to feel a real respect for these little feathered things who, at times, achieve more than we do in a day by providing food. They get to know you very quickly and I can genuinely say that I feel like ours are part of the family.
We brought our coop and run from e-bay, painted it up and then started to panic! I would advise you to buy a very basic book to begin with - Johannes Paul & William Windham Keeping Pet Chickens Interpet Publishing 2008. Once you've digested the bare bones of chicken keeping, just have the confidence to go with your instincts. They are the easiest things to look after. They just need shelter, a decent area to run, food (we just use layers pellets) and water. We cook up kitchen scraps most nights and now the cold nights are upon us we feed it to them at the end of the evening so they have something warm in their tummies pre lock up. They even put themselves to bed!
This site has been a god send. You post a message up and then the replies literally come rolling in. No one has ever laughed at my silly questions, they welcomed me despite the fact that I live in London and want a taste of the countryside in my own back yard. I log on several times a day and feel that my girls have an extended family with the folks on here!
Good luck, and enjoy - getting chooks is the way to go my friend!! xxx