Chickens and other happy meats

So, the husband and I have been having a lovely debate over getting some farm animals.  Mainly chickens.  I really like the idea of knowing where my meat comes from, especially after reading about the beef recall that happened over the weekend.  

 I thought chickens would be a good animal to start with, they are small and relatively inexpensive.  Not only can you get them for laying eggs, you can also eat them for meat.  It is like a two for one deal!  

 I have been doing some investigating on chickens and have discovered "movable pens".  These creative inventions allow you to move the chickens every day so they get fresh grass to eat and fertilize your yard (plus the chickens are walking around in there own dodo all day).  Raising broiler (aka: roasting/meat) chickens doesn't take that long, you get them around the end of spring and they are ready for the butcher by the end of summer/beginning of fall.  Now I wouldn't actually butcher them myself nor ask the husband to do it.  A women in one of my classes raised chickens with her husband last year and they found a very nice butcher with very reasonable prices.

 For laying hens (to get eggs) we would need a stationary hen house.  Evidently they don't like being moved around all that much.  I figure we only need about 4-5 hens for eggs and they shouldn't make that much of a mess.

 Once I prove I can raise chickens it is on to bigger and better things like miniature cattle!