How to raise Backyard Chickens: [CHICKENS-101] Preparing for Chickens

Hello everyone. I'm new here - maybe a couple of weeks. My husband, 8-year-old son and I live on 3.5 acres about 15 minutes north of Old Sacramento, Ca. This property has belonged to my parents since 1960, and I have basically inherited it - Dad still lives on 1.5 acres of the 3.5 but is no longer able to care for it. I tell people we've inherited 3.5 acres of 40 years of neglect - it's a mess around here!

We're preparing to get some chickens - more specifically Buff Orpingtons. However, we still need to build the chicken coop and run. I have a few questions - probably more as we go along. To start out, we're mainly getting them for the eggs. Farther down the road, I'll want to have the hens hatch out chicks to expand the flock.

1. I've read that certain woods should not be used for chickens. What should and shouldn't we use?

2. What do you use for nest bedding: straw, shavings? I don't want to use newsprint as even if the ink is safe I don't want to read the newspaper on my eggs.

3. What about sibling chickens mating? I've seen a suggestion for getting the roo from different bloodlines than the hens, but I've also seen flocks that were siblings and/or from the same bloodline.

Thank you in advance for the help.

Valita
Pleasant Grove, CA