Shabz
In the Brooder
I want to keep around 14 birds. 10 hybrids and 3/4 ex battery hens. Do I start with all 14 together or 3 then 4 etc and build up the flick slowly over time.
How many to get at the beginning?
- Thread starter Shabz
- Start date
chameleon
Chirping
Will the hybrids be chicks or grown birds?
- Thread starter
- #3
Shabz
In the Brooder
Point of Lay
chameleon
Chirping
Every time you add new birds you will have to go through the process of integrating them, and it depending on your setup and the personality of your hens it can be a slow, stressful process. Personally I would get them at the same time just to avoid the stress of integration later. But that is partly because my coop doesn't have space for a propper integration area.
That being said, if you are keeping them for eggs, as it sounds like you are, spreading them out will mean you would have a more consisten supply of eggs. As they get older, you would just have to replace the few that have slowed down instead of replacing the entire flock every time. If you're coop and run are set up with enough space to set up an integration area without making too much work for yourself, this might be better.
I'm still reasonably new to this though, so you might get better advice from someone else. It depends mostly on your personal needs and circumstances.
I hope this helps.
That being said, if you are keeping them for eggs, as it sounds like you are, spreading them out will mean you would have a more consisten supply of eggs. As they get older, you would just have to replace the few that have slowed down instead of replacing the entire flock every time. If you're coop and run are set up with enough space to set up an integration area without making too much work for yourself, this might be better.
I'm still reasonably new to this though, so you might get better advice from someone else. It depends mostly on your personal needs and circumstances.
I hope this helps.
- Thread starter
- #5
Shabz
In the Brooder
How would I tell which ones have slowed down? And how long to hybrids normally lay for before slowing down or stopping?
@chameleon has made some very good points!
There are various ways to tell when a bird has slowed down or stopped laying.
There's some physical exams you can do, as well as by observing their appearance and behavior.
With time and experience it's pretty easy to tell who is laying and who is not.
As far as how long a hybrid will lay...it depends, on the individual bird and maybe how they are managed.
Many hybrids lay like gangbusters for 2-3 year then just stop laying and/or die.
Some will go for years beyond.
Eggs are a seasonal food.....not like the grocery store.
You may get no eggs in winter when the days are short.
Adding supplemental lights might get you winter eggs.
Adding new chicks every spring might get you winter eggs.
It can take a few years to figure out how to manage the production and population of a flock.
But to start you need to pay special attention to the space you have to keep your birds healthy,
as well as the future integrating of new birds.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need
There are various ways to tell when a bird has slowed down or stopped laying.
There's some physical exams you can do, as well as by observing their appearance and behavior.
With time and experience it's pretty easy to tell who is laying and who is not.
As far as how long a hybrid will lay...it depends, on the individual bird and maybe how they are managed.
Many hybrids lay like gangbusters for 2-3 year then just stop laying and/or die.
Some will go for years beyond.
Eggs are a seasonal food.....not like the grocery store.
You may get no eggs in winter when the days are short.
Adding supplemental lights might get you winter eggs.
Adding new chicks every spring might get you winter eggs.
It can take a few years to figure out how to manage the production and population of a flock.
But to start you need to pay special attention to the space you have to keep your birds healthy,
as well as the future integrating of new birds.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need
Last edited:
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