Most definitely 3, to start. Chickens are flock animals. You have two, one dies. You're left with a very unhappy chicken.
Haha, sorry, I'm thinking between 2-4 because I live in a suburban town. But I'm not sure how many. Will just two get lonely? Or will three get to dirty? I'm so indecisive!
What's your limit in your town? How many eggs are you hoping to get per week? How big of an area do you have to keep them in? How much time do you have to clean up after them? SPACE is the biggest issue with an urban flock. Will you have room to allow them to run around and graze a little even if it just in a tractor? You really need at least two and probably three just in case you lose one, if you can get just a couple more and have the space and time to clean up after them you'll be even better off unless you just don't need that many eggs and have no neighbors who like eggs. LOL!
well, last year we wanted 4 hens. So we got 4 "pullet" chicks. 1 turned out to be a roo. 1 died randomly. So now we have 2. So I wish I got more last year. I'm also in a suburban area. The remaining 2 hens seem lonely in a way they didn't when there were 3. So I would say 3 or 4. I can't actually tell much of a difference in mess from 3 hens to 2 hens.
Consider 3 or 4. Then consider three or four more.. We live in-town, too. We have six chickens that live quite contentedly in a Little Tikes house inside a 12x12 fortified dog run. It isn't any more work to take care of four to six than it does two or three. They are quite social creatures, though and need each other to keep warm. When I first told my husband we were getting chickens he said "no more than three!" We got six. Now he wants to know if I'm planning on getting more in the Spring. ... "just two more" I told him......
I live downtown. Like- DOWNTOWN. I bought two chicks, but they were both ee which gave me an excuse to buy three chicks. They grew up and I think three was a perfect number for downtown living. Very low maintainance. But then I decided I wanted a silkie. It turned out to be a roo so I decided I needed two more hens. Then I decided that I needed to buy 30 hatching eggs... So I don't think it matters how many you start with. Even in urban living you will find a way to make more fit!
