What's your "Dream Flock"? How many chickens is the perfect amount for you? What breeds do you adore?

[Pacific Beach Ed]

I ask this because I'm growing my flock this year, not merely recouping lost numbers. (We had an issue with predators that caused me to lose over half my flock of 11 last year.) We are in the process of building a bigger, better enclosure with a large shed-type coop that I can easily walk in and clean with a large run. That being said, I've calculated the run and coop can accommodate comfortably about 28 chickens.

Mind you, I'm not aiming for the max number as I like plenty of space and I'm sure my chickens do too. But I was thinking of adding a few more. I'm currently at 15 chickens counting the new batch of chicks that just came in from the hatchery a couple of days ago. So, as I sit here and dream about what sort of breeds I'd like to incorporate into my flock... I'd love to hear about your "dream flock."

My current flock is a mix of Dominicker (Rooster!), Cornish, Black Sexlink, and my new chicks are Easter Eggers. I'd love roughly 20 chickens. If I could find one locally I'd totally snag a Sapphire Olive Egger. I'm keeping a close eye on my local stores and breeders to see what chicks are available, so I can snag breeds on my watch list.

My favorites, Buckeye's, Dominique's, welsummers, Easter eggers, Olive eggers, cream legbars, brown leghorns, new Hampshire's,and dark Cornish. And last,,silver grey dorkings.

 

[julie winters]

Hello!
I have Buff Orpington, Austrolop, Americana, (large eggs and often), Laced wyandotte and Silkies. My Silkies are by far the friendliest. They lay tiny eggs and are often broody! My Orpington is such a sweet girl too. She follows me and talks whenever I am outside. Her eggs are very large and often. I have a really good mix and my Austrolop is definitely in charge!!

 

[SunnyBluz]

I ask this because I'm growing my flock this year, not merely recouping lost numbers. (We had an issue with predators that caused me to lose over half my flock of 11 last year.) We are in the process of building a bigger, better enclosure with a large shed-type coop that I can easily walk in and clean with a large run. That being said, I've calculated the run and coop can accommodate comfortably about 28 chickens.

Mind you, I'm not aiming for the max number as I like plenty of space and I'm sure my chickens do too. But I was thinking of adding a few more. I'm currently at 15 chickens counting the new batch of chicks that just came in from the hatchery a couple of days ago. So, as I sit here and dream about what sort of breeds I'd like to incorporate into my flock... I'd love to hear about your "dream flock."

My current flock is a mix of Dominicker (Rooster!), Cornish, Black Sexlink, and my new chicks are Easter Eggers. I'd love roughly 20 chickens. If I could find one locally I'd totally snag a Sapphire Olive Egger. I'm keeping a close eye on my local stores and breeders to see what chicks are available, so I can snag breeds on my watch list.

I ask this because I'm growing my flock this year, not merely recouping lost numbers. (We had an issue with predators that caused me to lose over half my flock of 11 last year.) We are in the process of building a bigger, better enclosure with a large shed-type coop that I can easily walk in and clean with a large run. That being said, I've calculated the run and coop can accommodate comfortably about 28 chickens.

Mind you, I'm not aiming for the max number as I like plenty of space and I'm sure my chickens do too. But I was thinking of adding a few more. I'm currently at 15 chickens counting the new batch of chicks that just came in from the hatchery a couple of days ago. So, as I sit here and dream about what sort of breeds I'd like to incorporate into my flock... I'd love to hear about your "dream flock."

My current flock is a mix of Dominicker (Rooster!), Cornish, Black Sexlink, and my new chicks are Easter Eggers. I'd love roughly 20 chickens. If I could find one locally I'd totally snag a Sapphire Olive Egger. I'm keeping a close eye on my local stores and breeders to see what chicks are available, so I can snag breeds on my watch list.

Larger eggs than our Isa Browns. Also... More people friendly! We Will be getting more of these chicks next week!

 

[birdman5000]

I ask this because I'm growing my flock this year, not merely recouping lost numbers. (We had an issue with predators that caused me to lose over half my flock of 11 last year.) We are in the process of building a bigger, better enclosure with a large shed-type coop that I can easily walk in and clean with a large run. That being said, I've calculated the run and coop can accommodate comfortably about 28 chickens.

Mind you, I'm not aiming for the max number as I like plenty of space and I'm sure my chickens do too. But I was thinking of adding a few more. I'm currently at 15 chickens counting the new batch of chicks that just came in from the hatchery a couple of days ago. So, as I sit here and dream about what sort of breeds I'd like to incorporate into my flock... I'd love to hear about your "dream flock."

My current flock is a mix of Dominicker (Rooster!), Cornish, Black Sexlink, and my new chicks are Easter Eggers. I'd love roughly 20 chickens. If I could find one locally I'd totally snag a Sapphire Olive Egger. I'm keeping a close eye on my local stores and breeders to see what chicks are available, so I can snag breeds on my watch list.

My dream flock would be a trio of peafowl. Some guinea.. Such strong little buggers. Youcan throw eggs in the air and they dont break. Some seabrites. Buff silkies. The black silkie with the gold neck. Couple of ducks.. Id call them the flock of misfits.

 

[Michaelshamp]

My dream flock is soon to arrive. The chicken house will accommodate 40. 160 sq ft. Have 40 hens 8 male chicks Buff Orpington, Black Australorp, Buff Brahma, Dark Brahma and Light Brahma. 10 guineas. 3 BBW turkey, 2 BBB turkey, 8 Blue Slate and 8 Bourbon Red turkeys.

 

[UrbnGardenPeeps]

9 chickens is my ideal flock size. I currently only have 3 Black Australorps and I adore them! They are freakishly clean, really affectionate and none of them have had so much as an off day in their 3 years of life. They are unfailing cheerful and funny. They whistle in the summer sunshine and aren't picky about what they eat. Literally the only negative is one of them is exceptionally loud, which isn't ideal in our quiet neighborhood. However, we are building a house out in the country and she can then yell to her heart's content! I plan to get 3 Buff Orpingtons next year and then a couple years later, I will get 3 more chickens. The idea is to alternate 3 at a time so there are always young girls laying and older girls being spoiled and helping make compost. We're vegetarians so nobody gets eaten in our house!

 

[Ac7941]

Well, I love breeds that are easily handled,friendly and produce lots of eggs. For us that’s the Golden Comet we’ve had Ameraucanas and Cochins (both came from breeders), but the Golden Comets are by far the friendliest and most productive.

Golden comets are one of my favorite breeds so far too. We’ve had Easter Eggers, barred rocks, white leghorn, black australourpe, sapphire Plymouth rocks, and now have wel summer, Barnevelder, and orpingtons. The comet so far has been the friendliest!! She runs up to us anytime she sees us, eats treats out of our hands, and lays a pretty speckled brown egg a day. On a good day we get a huge double yolked egg from her. She’s the sweetest and a great egg producer.

 

[CrashingPines]

There are so many cool breeds and I’ll definitely want more - but for now I have a mixed flock. Buff Brahmas (three hens and a rooster) all nice chickens, raised from mail order chicks. I also have Easter Egger hens raised from Tractor Supply chicks. They’re wonderful, steady blue egg layers and very friendly. I recently bought one Isbar, a gorgeous gray hen with deep dark eyes, one Olive Egger and one big fluffy “Splash” Orpington who is solid black, and two young Ayam Cemanis - a pullet and a cockerel. The Cemanis were hatched and raised by their broody mother and I’m hoping the pullet will be a broody mom too. All of my chickens are social and good foragers. They’re pastured during the day and cooped at night, and my Pyrenees LGD does a good job of keeping them safe. Their eggs - blue, olive green, pink, brown and tan - have a gorgeous orange yolk with very hard shells. But if I had room to add any .. I’d love some Marans, and Welsummers maybe.

 

[trainman]

Well, in the past I had a mixed flock of Buff Orpingtons, Black Australorps, New Hamphires, Light Brahmas, Easter Eggers, White Rocks and Plymouth Rocks. All were very nice to have around. I think the Rocks and Buffs were the friendliest. Thanks to a family of coons that flock was destroyed and I replaced that coop with a new and improved version that's much larger and better suited for raising a laying flock and meat birds.

I had 25 mixed breeds in the first flock but now have 30 Plymouth Rocks and one worthless Lavender Orpington rooster. They are very friendly and out of 27 hens I daily get 22 eggs. As they age or get killed (I free range them so some losses are expected) I will probably replace them with the same breeds I had before. All were good farm birds and I'm finding I miss all the colors.

My best roosters so far have been Plymouth Rocks. My current PR roosters are also pretty good at taking care of the girls and watching for danger and good things to eat. I had a Lt Brahma rooster before but he was too big and tore up and killed a few hens before he was killed. He also didn't watch out for the girls like my PR's do.

My Lavender Orpington is worthless as a rooster since he won't mate, won't crow, is terrified of everything and runs for a nest box at the slightest shadow from above or noise. He races to the feeder and pushes the hens away. He's very short for this world. Very pretty fellow but of no use. Very big so he'll make a lot of soup!

I'm about to order 25 meat birds which will probably be Freedom Rangers as I've had good luck with them too. My new 12'x24' coop is set up for 2 separate areas so I can keep the chicks separated from the laying flock. As they mature I will let them all in together to free range before the meat birds go to the freezer and canner.

 

[Hawaiifarm]

I ask this because I'm growing my flock this year, not merely recouping lost numbers. (We had an issue with predators that caused me to lose over half my flock of 11 last year.) We are in the process of building a bigger, better enclosure with a large shed-type coop that I can easily walk in and clean with a large run. That being said, I've calculated the run and coop can accommodate comfortably about 28 chickens.

Mind you, I'm not aiming for the max number as I like plenty of space and I'm sure my chickens do too. But I was thinking of adding a few more. I'm currently at 15 chickens counting the new batch of chicks that just came in from the hatchery a couple of days ago. So, as I sit here and dream about what sort of breeds I'd like to incorporate into my flock... I'd love to hear about your "dream flock."

My current flock is a mix of Dominicker (Rooster!), Cornish, Black Sexlink, and my new chicks are Easter Eggers. I'd love roughly 20 chickens. If I could find one locally I'd totally snag a Sapphire Olive Egger. I'm keeping a close eye on my local stores and breeders to see what chicks are available, so I can snag breeds on my watch list.

Sounds like you have some favorite breeds. And if you don't have to worry about them getting into the garden, why not base it on the number of eggs you want?
We live in Hawaii and have 20 chickens; a mix of wild ones that were here when we got the farm (they are good layers) and then I raised a mixed flock. The Pearl Leghorns lay the most eggs. They are a very dominant breed. The Americaunas are consistent layers, with pretty blue eggs. And some of my Australorps lay well and some don't. But they are the easiest to handle, least afraid of people.
We have about an acre and let them free roam on half of that. That works well with the garden; no real conflict there between chicken and garden.
I plan to sell this farm and start over on the mainland, but I know we will deal with more predators there. I think I am going to keep it simple and get all birds of one breed. I don't know yet if I am going to go for friendliness or number of eggs; it depends on where we wind up raising the hens.