?? Average Home Flock Size ????

[Holly O]

I would like an idea of how many Birds the average family has.

For your own personal Use!

We are a family of 5, with 8 birds, 2 of them are roosters. (I only want 1 rooster) and approx 1/10 acre lot or .1 acre.

I'm thinking a dozen Chickens would be reasonable.


Please tell me how many and area you have.

 

[TexasVet]

I don't think of myself as average; more like insane!

I have 50 grown birds (including roos and old hens), 30 that are four months old, 50 pullets less than a month old, and 45 in the incubator, due to hatch next week. Depending on the heat, I get 12-24 eggs a day. In another month, I should be getting many more than that.

We have 7 acres, I feed 5 adults, and I sell the eggs we can't eat for $2/dozen. I also sell hens for $10 to $15 each, once they reach laying age. The local food pantry will take any extra eggs, which is a tax deduction.

The problem with hatching your own is that 1/2 of the chicks end up being roos. So I'll be butchering some on Monday, then more over the next couple of months. That, plus selling some pullets, will reduce the size of the flock by at least a third.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[phoenixmama]

4 pullets, 1 roo, 10 brand new white rocks (in brooder), 5 turkeys

My backyard is .5 acre, the run is approx. 2000 sq. ft.

 

[sunshineinsc]

We are a family of 7 and I live on almost an acre of land with 18 chickens.

The only neighbor that knows we have them is the one I told. No one else has any clue we have them.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I have 6 girls that are currently laying. Well...but for the 2 broodies on the nest at the moment. With those six girls, we get at least 4-5 eggs a day and we share with my DH's son, mom and dad...4 families that we give eggs to off of 6 girls.

However, I have a total of 22 chickens now, 9 more upcoming pullets and I'm figuring that we'll be getting in excess of a dozen eggs a day in another couple of months. I will sell the excess eggs to co-workers and church members to offset feed cost. Next year I plan to hatch more and keep my little chicken factory producing. I'll sell the pullets and roos that will also help to offset feed cost.

It's a beautiful hobby, really.

 

[Renee]

Three. Keeps four couples in eggs.

We live in a semi-rural pocket of old homes in a suburban bedroom community near LA. Our property is about a half-acre with two homes on it.

 

[lavandula girl]

Family of four, 5 laying hens, no roosters, one acre. I have enough eggs to eat, sell and give, but not enough to call it a business.

 

[alycoop]

Family of 4 on 1/2-acre of land in a semi-urban area.

We currently have 6 pullets and 2 younger aricaunas which are about one month old. Eight laying hens will be a little much for our egg consumption but we waiting to see just how many turn out to be hens. And of course we can always give eggs away to our friends!

 

[underground chickenman]

Eight kept on a 1/4 acre lot in a typical HOA controlled neighborhood. One neighbor knows, but I suspect the one on the other side might by now. They've been a little noisy in the morning after laying. I have two each of the following: barred rock, black australorp, red star and buff rock. Both stars and one australorp and one barred rock are laying, all having just recently started. They are all 21 weeks, so I expect the other four to start anytime. We should have eggs to give away then.

 

[ibpboo]

I have 10 hens on one acre. Right now 6 of them are chicks. 3 of them are 7 years old, and two of them are laying right now. I also have a silkie, she goes broody a lot, right now she is broody, but no roosters, so no eggs ever hatch, I collect them. Then there is actually an 11th chicken that lives under my barn, she comes out occasionally. She is always broody, she is a hen that just moved here on her own. I get plenty of eggs for my family of 5, not everyone lives at home anymore, and there are also grandchildren now. Sometimes I have to give eggs to friends because I get too many when all 10 are laying! (that ofcourse was the chickens I had, before I got 6 chicks)