which chickens? - advice, please!

[Ghoulberry]

We would really like to get some chickens, but don't know where to start with breeds. We've only got room for about 4, I think. I've just been looking at all the lovely hens in their posh hen houses at the local garden centre. We want layers, but we don't need huge numbers of eggs. I'd like a couple of different breeds.
So, chicken keepers, what breeds would you recommend to a newbie?

We have some ex-battery hens and some Cream Legbars, for the blue eggs.

For ease of looking after and general egg-laying capability (as well as just being a good thing to do), I'd recommend the ex-batts. When we got ours we said we needed some in good condition as we were novice hen-keepers and they have been no problem at all. They are friendlier and easier to handle than the legbars, though not half as good-looking!

If you're mixing breeds, one thing is to get breeds that are roughly the same size so as to avoid bullying.

Hens are fab, I am sure you will love them whatever you get!

I recommend pekin bantams. They are tiny, feisty, lay a fair number of eggs over the year, and don't destroy your garden. They also tolerate cuddles from enthusiastic children, and look hilarious waddling up the garden.

Great - thanks! Can't wait to get some!

I've got several different types and its really useful having different types as I can tell who has laid which egg, therefore I know if one stops laying and can check her over (usually down to moulting) I can also know which eggs to avoid if one is on antibiotics (have had these for chest infection and infected foot). I have speckledy maran - lovely lg friendly bird, huge dark speckled eggs(not that many), black rock - v healthy and friendly, eats all my garden pests, mid brown eggs(lots), light sussex - fat and friendly bird lays light colour eggs(lots), columbian blacktail, sweet but naughty! lays mid brown eggs(lots), lavendar araucana, sweet, friendly but timid, lays blue eggs(not many), hybrid, timid, lays green eggs(not many). I also have a leghorn youngster who is friendly and will lay white eggs soon! And a young welsummer who will lay dark brown eggs soon, both friendly birds.

Oh that's really helpful, LittleB. Had my eye on a speckledy maran actually. Useful advice about getting similar sized chickens, OhWesternWind.
On another note, we're looking at chicken runs and houses and are looking to keep costs as low as possible. Did any of you build your own chicken coop from scratch? Dh is hoping to do this!

Love my speckledy maran, shes called pumpkin, she went broody this summer so we let her hatch some fertile eggs, shes been such a good mummy.
We bought our chicken house from e-bay, (around £100 I think) solid construction, i did a fair bit of hunting around. But we built our own run as I wanted a big permanant one that we could walk into, It took most of a day and cost about £50 in materials but its 2yrs old and still going strong.