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

[zadok]

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.

What type of predators did you have?. I like the bantam breeds because they tend to take care of themselves. I love watching them in the yard. And they can fly or send out an alarm when feral cats come around...

 

[UluLaté]

We have a mix of Reds, Ameraucanas, Plymouth Rocks, some cornish cross meat chicks and turkeys. We hope to get some heirloom meat chicks this month.

The variety of colors of the eggs we get from the layers alternated in a carton or basket is so beautiful. We give them to family and friends and they are delighted. It helps to pay for the chicken food.

The reds and plymouth’s can be kept in the same run, but if I put the Ameraucanas in with them, they eat the brown eggs, and the others eat the blue/green eggs. So they’re kept separate.

Right now we have 1 Ameraucana rooster. Though we haven’t successfully hatched any eggs yet, he keeps trying. We just got 6 red chicks. Hopefully we will get a rooster amongst them. Once we have a red rooster and a plymouth rooster and heirloom meat chicks, I think we will be all set.

 

[Prairie Orca]

I dream of being surrounded by:

• Opal Legbars
• Silver Laced Orpingtons
• Blue Birchen Marans
• Silverudd's Fiftyfive Flowery Hens

 

[Clearwater Chicken]

My Dream flock would include, 4 hen dorkings, 1 male Dorking, 4 cream legbar hens, 1 cream legbar male, 4 maran hens, 4 welsummer hens, 1 welbar rooster, 3 speckled sussex, 3 golden deathlayers, 4 smaalands, 5 spiztenhauben, 4 polish, 5 assorted brahmas, 3 olive egggers, 4 australorps, 5 salmon faverolles, 3 brabanters, 4 pheonix, 6 egyptian fayoumi, 3 lavender orpingtons, 4 mottled java, 3 blue andalusions, 2 anconas, 5 sicillian buttercups, 5 campines, 3 norwegian jaerhons, 4 iowa blues, 8 wyandottes, 6 chanteclers 4 russian orloffs, and 5 cochins for my standard sized flock

 

[joydix]

my ideal # would be about 12. i have 26 and 8 chick arriving april 3. sigh.....i just cant do ONE of a kind so makes it difficult. ALL of them are super friendly. 1/2 of them are lap chickens....several are just super special that have really bonded with me. they have shared their chicks with me...i hand feed them special meals when they are broody ....i love them all more than anything. i want to cut down but i keep getting more....they have a good sized area and are never locked up except at night when they roost. i could never part with one of them...but i want less....i am just hopeless...so ordered 3 delaware chicks and 5 Brabanters..really fun breed and lays often good sized white eggs. eggs are not my primary reason for chickens....adorableness is! my flock is 1/2 bantam...i love and adore the spitz and brabanter. such fun personalities...but my heart goes to the bantam cochins, bantam silver pencil wyandottes, i have a black d'anver.....and my olive egger...OMGosh....what a personality she has and i almost found a home for her! so glad i kept her...i LOVE the silkies...i have two now...did have 4..too broody but what great moms! my little tiny one is lavender ...she has hatched many of my flock from purchased eggs. best mom ever! she no longer lays or goes broody which makes me very sad. when she went broody she would allow me to move her to the baby pen where she got room service and many delectable treats....nope would not trade a one of them...but i remember the days of 12....

 

[joydix]

i cant stop talking about them!! my orloff passed this year and i adored that breed. a real stunner and so personable...would love another welsummer who is not so friendly but she is old my BCM is also aging and would love another....if i were younger i would get a larger property

 

[joydix]

My ideal flock size would be about 12 birds, so I built for 12. I currently have 7, with 3 older hens and 4 younger hens. As mine are pets as well as livestock, I don't want so many that they feel unmanageable - about 2-3 eggs a day is plenty for me and extended family.

I like having a mixed flock - a mix of feather and egg colors. Currently have a Buff Orp, Buckeye, Welsummer, French Black Copper Marans, Speckled Sussex, 2 EEs.

Hubby and I are discussing whether we want to add more chicks this year. I'm waiting for the hens to resume laying to see how many eggs I get, and will decide after that. He really would like a Sicilian Buttercup and I'd like a Salmon Faverolle. Other breeds I'd like to add eventually: Olive Egger, Barnevelder, Crested Cream Legbar, something barred (Dominique?), something white (Delaware?)

just got a buttercup this past year and what a charmer but she is ACTIVE..into everything....throws the nesting stuff out, scatters the oyster shell, digs up EVERYTHING...but also jumps into my arms onto my shoulder and up on my knee so how can i not adore her!

 

[nuthatched]

campines, mosaics, lavender orpingtons, splash and black lorps, Barnevelders, long tailed Japanese (can't spell it, ongidori?) small Japanese bantams, Speckled sussex, Columbian rocks, Dutch bantams and beliefelders.
5 each
someone rent me out 2 acres.

 

[Chickhatchfever]

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 buff Orpingtons and polish are my faves!!! Attention is what they want and give!!! Want more of those two ! Have fun restocking your flock!

 

[Chick-la-la]

Yippee! Now we want to see photos of your little ones! I got some too. Easter Eggers to obtain those desired blue and/or green eggs! Show me yours, here's mine!

View attachment 2051007

Love the eye-liner on your babies! Mine are rather plain compared to yours. But they are really cuddly. I have always loved the EE’s but I’ve found they aren’t the friendliest if not handled a lot as chicks.