I used to be a free range chicken farmer and agree 100% on Comets - huge brown eggs, not too broody, and such sweet dispositions! Purple Wyandottes are another favorite of mine, but they are sneaky and can escape pens and end up in crazy places (mine were nicknamed the Houdini sisters).
You are in Wake County, right? There used to be some big hatcheries near Pittsford, I believe. The Raleigh fairgrounds flea market may have som, too. The County Home extension office can get you in touch with local hatcheries. You may want to get some older chicks rather than invest in lights and chick waterers. Put an ad in your local Craigslist for poultry supplies. I used the hanging feeders that could not be tipped over. on one wall of the henhouse, I kept a small feeder full of oyster shell in case they wanted some - one bag lasted years.
You want to make sure you can secure them at night - raccoons will see a henhouse as a KFC!