We brought home chicks for the first time in February last year so my daughter could grow up around them and for the eggs obviously. We started with 12 and lost 4 shortly after moving them outside. I built this coop for less than $900. It'll be here forever and was a project I really enjoyed. Compared to what they want for prefab coops, this was a bargain! Right now 3 australorps and 5 rhode island reds, we get 5-6 eggs a day. I have one heat lamp running when it's above 30 at night and 2 when it gets below that. I really enjoy having them around and look forward to moving to my parent's mini-farm next year so we can expand the operation.
I dumped a load of kitchen waster for them earlier. When I go collect eggs later, I'll snap some more pics.