how many chicks make it to adulthood?

[my3jsons]

I am new and this may sound like an odd question, but how many chicks make it to adulthood? I know with any animals not all make it. I have ordered 15 chicks from McMurrays (5 barred rocks, 5 white rocks, & 5 easter eggers, all females) and they will arrive in a few weeks. I'm so excited, I have always wanted laying hens. But I would like to know out of 15 (if they are well taken care of) how many will make it to laying stage. I know- you never know, but is there a normal number of losses? I want to make sure I have enough room for all, but not overbuild my coop. We are going to build a coop and run fully enclosed so the coyote nearby won't get them. I already have everything for the little girls when they arrive but we need to get to building their permanent home.

 

[poultryhaven]

You could come out with them all alive or all dead. The chance isnt too great though. Just a guess, if all of them arrive alive, you might end up with 10-12 that make it to laying age?

 

[pkeeler]

I've ordered two batches, one was 25 chicks and one was 15. Of the 25, one chick died soon after arrival, but they had sent two extra. Of the 15, they all survived and thrived and there were 7 extra. Once they are eating and drinking in the brooder, I doubt you will have losses. Once they are in the run, they should all be good too, if you have built it well. In other words, I would bet that 95-100% of your chicks make it to laying age.

 

[my3jsons]

They may send me extra? I'm splitting the order with a friend. Maybe I should make room for 15 for sure?

 

[Year of the Rooster]

I received 17 chicks from Ideal and all arrived alive and each made it to sexual maturity. Recently I lost one of my hens and the people who I sold my extra roosters to told me one had died. They are tougher than you might think.

 

[LynneP]

Agreed, my 12 will be two in May. 100% survival so far.

 

[MareeZoCool]

Out of my 6 peeps from last June('09) hatchlings, I have one survivor. The other 5 fell victim to a fast fox.

 

[Bammy]

I ordered 25 pullets from My Pet Chicken in August 2009. They sent me 26 and they all survived and are giving me 22-26 eggs a day. The laying started the week before Christmas. I do have a red light set to come on at 4:00AM and goes off at 8:00AM. They are a sturdy bunch.

 

[embkm]

I haven't recieved any chicks by mail yet (have some coming this week). But the ones that I got at TSC and the local feed store, none died of mysterious causes. One silkie was squished by the big fat meaties (lesson learned there- seperate meaties from reg chicks before they get too big) and I lost a whole pen of 14 banties and leghorns at 16 weeks to a weak pen and my neighbor's determined dog. Needless to say, I think that people lose way more chickens to preditors than to illnesses.

 

[dichotomymom]

I've never lost any to illness only predators (out of 50 chickens over the last 3 years)