Kay, for a while, I co-hosted a Chicken Show on the radio. I do not have chickens myself, but a really good book that covers all the what, where, how to you would need to know is How to Raise Chickens, by Christine Heinrichs. It covers everything from how much space and shelter you need to what kind to choose etc! And she's a very nice lady, too! http://www.amazon.com/How-Raise-Chic...5942235&sr=1-1