Do you have chickens?

[Tree City]

Anyone here keep hens and have any advice for a TOTAL novice? I am not a farmer by any means lol, but we've decided that chickens might be in our future.

Long story short: due to allergies, we can't have "normal" pets, but the kids want something to look after. While the chickens would live outside in their coop (so they aren't a "pet" per se), the kids are happy with the idea. I'm okay with it, too, so we're thinking that this would be a great way to teach responsibility. Plus: we'll have fresh chicken eggs! DS and DD will join 4-H, something I'm wholly unfamiliar with, and raise pullets; if I'm understanding it correctly, we'll then give back some of the raised hens and keep some for ourselves.

Anyone have experience with 4-H and/or with having a chicken coop on their property, esp. if you're in the exurbs? (We aren't in the city or even the suburbs but we aren't technically "rural.") Any and all tips are welcome!