Once your chickens have all their feathers, they can move into their permanent home. How much space do they really need? Can you build their coop from scratch or would you rather purchase it? Another important consideration is how many chickens you have. A general rule of thumb for chicken coops is 4 square feet of space per standard bird. If you want more luxurious space or heavier birds, 8 square feet per bird is recommended.
Some basic saftey concerns for all chickens exist because predators exist and different climates have cause for concern depending on the time of year. If the chickens do not free range, a fenced run should be set up. Hardware cloth is recommended for protection from predators such as hawks, oppossums, raccoons, coyotes, skunks, foxes and weasels.
A helpful hint for figuring out what type of fence or barrier to use, is that chicken wire keeps chickens in, hardware cloth keeps predators out!