Can't wait to get started

[Maeko]

Hi guys, so glad to have a community to work with while I start my flock!
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I've been around chickens all my life but never had my own, only had my own parrot growing up. Getting started this spring and my mother in law decided to as well!
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
0 but we are planning to start with 2..though I'm worried that may be too few?
(3) What breeds do you have?
Looking into Easter eggers, Rhode island reds, or new Hampshire
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Cooky personalities and eggs
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Cooking
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
We've got 2 kiddos, a 3 year old and just turned 1 year old, 2 dogs, and 2 cats. I'm currently a stay at home mom and have a 5-10 year plan of having a whole little farm
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community? well by doing so much chicken research of course, the community is a great place to look for info and help

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC!
Three is better than two but five might be better.

 

[BullChick]

I highly recommend six chickens. Two is risky for several reasons, and six will give you the eggs you need, as well as a happier flock (and a cushion if one suddenly dies).
The children can both collect eggs (I only lost a few eggs with a toddler), and help with the daily chores! TSC has a yellow scoop cup that the preschooler can use, and I have this that the LO used to rake the run, occasionally raked the coop (she hated using a bandanna on her face), and I still use on occasion.
G & F Products JustForKids Kids Garden Tool Set Toy, Rake, Spade, Hoe and Leaf Rake, reduced size, 4-Piece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LMJBPCK/?tag=backy-20
We look forward to seeing pictures as you build up your homestead!

 

[N F C]

Hi, it's nice to have you here! I'd recommend starting with 3-4 instead of 2 chickens. Sometimes things happen and you don't want to end up with a single, lonely one.

Best wishes!

 

[ValerieJ]

Hi! Welcome to BYC! I have to second all the recommendations of getting more than 2 chickens. If something happens to one, you don't want a single lonely hen on your hands. However many chicks you get, make sure your chicken coop and run will house at least 2 or 3 times that many. Chicken math is real!

 

[BlueBaby]

Hello, and welcome! Glad that you joined! How well do you, your hubby, and your kid's like to eat egg's? Only 2 hen's may not be enough. I would try at least 4 hen's to start out.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

So glad you decided to join our community! As stated above, 2 chickens is not advised. Things happen, they get sick, taken by predators, etc...and you don't want 1 to be alone living out its days. 3 to 4 is a good starting point.

Good luck on this new adventure and welcome to BYC!

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hi guys, so glad to have a community to work with while I start my flock!
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I've been around chickens all my life but never had my own, only had my own parrot growing up. Getting started this spring and my mother in law decided to as well!
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
0 but we are planning to start with 2..though I'm worried that may be too few?
(3) What breeds do you have?
Looking into Easter eggers, Rhode island reds, or new Hampshire
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Cooky personalities and eggs
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Cooking
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
We've got 2 kiddos, a 3 year old and just turned 1 year old, 2 dogs, and 2 cats. I'm currently a stay at home mom and have a 5-10 year plan of having a whole little farm
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community? well by doing so much chicken research of course, the community is a great place to look for info and help

Hi there, this is a great site, so glad you are here! If you are going to only get two chickens to start, maybe look into Australorps or Maran’s because they tend to go broody and if you want to add a couple more chicks later on it will be easy to slip them under a broody chicken and have her raise them up. It’s way easier that way and then you usually don’t have to worry about integration. Australorps and Marans usually also lay tons of eggs and are usually super easy to handle and docile.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. As others have suggested a minimum of 3 is a better idea.

 

[Maeko]

Hi there, this is a great site, so glad you are here! If you are going to only get two chickens to start, maybe look into Australorps or Maran’s because they tend to go broody and if you want to add a couple more chicks later on it will be easy to slip them under a broody chicken and have her raise them up. It’s way easier that way and then you usually don’t have to worry about integration. Australorps and Marans usually also lay tons of eggs and are usually super easy to handle and docile.

Oh that's good to know! Australorp is actually one of the breeds in my top 3. Based on comments I think we very well may do 3 or 4. Our zoning requirements as they are we are only allowed to have 4 on our current property. When we get more land in the future I plan to have a much larger flock! We are planning to build a 4x6 coop and a 10x5 run and also will allow them to free range pretty much all the time