help me choose my chickens please!

[LittleB]

After lurking on here for several months and doing some research, I've finally managed to persuade DH that we can get some chickens in the spring!
Now I need to think about what sort. We think 3 would be a good number (at least to start with - don't tell DH!) DD (3.8) has a thing about blue or white eggs-we get them from the farmers market once a month and she loves them as her special boiled eggs! So ideally a chicken that lays blue or white eggs for a start, don't really mind what else, ideally something thats good at being handled, fairly hardy, and not too noisy (I live in a rural town, but there are already chickens 2 doors and 5 doors along from me, they seem to be very quiet). What would you recommend, I've looked at some books but would like to chat it through here.

Also does anyone know anywhere good to get plans for a coop? I thought I might try and make one with my FIL (he's a carpenter). I like the simple design of the eglu, but don't know if it can be replicated in wood, for say 4 chicken, I've seen some simple triangular ones, but I don't know what they've got inside! Couldn't tackle one with exterior egg boxes though, too complicated, or we could just buy a kit one - what do you think?
I'm so excited can't wait to have my own chickens!

Thanks, will have to ask DD whether she likes white or blue best! We just want them for eggs, they'll be pets aswell, DD is already thinking of names for them. I don't really mind wht size chickens, average really, not Bantams - love the eggs but they are a bit tiny!
I live in Somerset on the Dorset border, but I'm willing to travel to get the right chickens. I'd like to get POL to start with, maybe chicks or incubation a few years down the line. I'm hoping to get 3, but will have room for about 7, so I may get more in the future.

LittleB, we have 2 black rocks (Black and orange), very hardy, friendly chickens; 1 bluebelle (grey, pretty), a bit skittish and shy and a speckeldy (grey spackles), has had a tendency to go broody at the drop of an...er...egg .

All lay brown eggs, the speckeldy, a dark brown.

The best thing is to go along to a breeders and look at the different ones.

Ours are big, to cope with our 3 cats, which they do very well and now they all co-exist beautifully.

I think cream legbars lay blue eggs, but there was a waiting list whenever I tried to buy one!

We converted a wendy house already in the garden for the chickens and this works really well (see my pics).

Good luck with your venture, whatever you get, you'll love it!