Chick minimum to add to flock of 5?

[Ridgerunner]

My plan was to run out and grab another if a chick dies.

So you are saying you can get 3 week old or 7 week old chicks if one dies at that age? Mine usually need that companion until thy mature enough to join the pecking order, usually about the time they start to lay. If you get an older second chick you have two integrations, the two chicks to each other as well as to the older flock.

I was going to brood them in the coop to help with integration.

Excellent idea, that's what I do. This kind of implies you have a decent size coop, not sure about your run. Mine roam with the adults at five weeks but I have plenty of room, a large coop and two shelters where they could sleep, over 3,000 square feet outside, and weather that the outside is available practically every day. I think room has a lot to do with this, that's why others are asking. Of course there are exceptions, there always are, but mine tend to form a sub-flock and avoid the adults until they mature. This includes chicks raised by a broody hen, not just my brooder chicks. From the time a broody hen weans them until they mature enough to join the flock they usually form a sub-flock.

Two provide comfort to each other if the adults don't allow them to stay with the main flock. You can manage to integrate just one but that can sometimes be harder. A lot of that can depend on the individual personalities of the chickens involved. Sometimes that is not a big deal. You never know how it will work out. It's unlikely any will die, especially if you get them past the first week or two. If you lose one you can still manage just one. It might or might not be harder, people integrate one all the time.

My personal preference is a minimum of three to greatly reduce the possibility I'd have to work that hard. This is a personal preference, not an absolute law of nature. If you really don't want more than two you can try and it will probably work.

 

[gabigirl21]

How big is your coop? Integration goes best with plenty of extra space.

How sentimental are you? I've had good success with raising twice as many as I actually wanted then selling the extras as started or POL pullets via Craigslist.

I’ve got an 8x8 coop and 87 square feet of run space. The run space is slightly disjointed because I converted my dad’s old pigeon loft into the coop. 5x3 of that run space is a little connector/vestibule (seen in photo 2) that connects the coop to the run. I worry about littles not being able to get away due to all the level changes into/from the connector, so my plan was only to let them mingle while supervised on and maybe 3 weeks old? I was going to build in a temporary brooder in the bottom right 2 squares (previously pigeon nest boxes).

Ah, selling is a great idea! Why didn’t I think of this?!

 

[gabigirl21]

So you are saying you can get 3 week old or 7 week old chicks if one dies at that age? Mine usually need that companion until thy mature enough to join the pecking order, usually about the time they start to lay. If you get an older second chick you have two integrations, the two chicks to each other as well as to the older flock.


Excellent idea, that's what I do. This kind of implies you have a decent size coop, not sure about your run. Mine roam with the adults at five weeks but I have plenty of room, a large coop and two shelters where they could sleep, over 3,000 square feet outside, and weather that the outside is available practically every day. I think room has a lot to do with this, that's why others are asking. Of course there are exceptions, there always are, but mine tend to form a sub-flock and avoid the adults until they mature. This includes chicks raised by a broody hen, not just my brooder chicks. From the time a broody hen weans them until they mature enough to join the flock they usually form a sub-flock.

Two provide comfort to each other if the adults don't allow them to stay with the main flock. You can manage to integrate just one but that can sometimes be harder. A lot of that can depend on the individual personalities of the chickens involved. Sometimes that is not a big deal. You never know how it will work out. It's unlikely any will die, especially if you get them past the first week or two. If you lose one you can still manage just one. It might or might not be harder, people integrate one all the time.

My personal preference is a minimum of three to greatly reduce the possibility I'd have to work that hard. This is a personal preference, not an absolute law of nature. If you really don't want more than two you can try and it will probably work.

Ah this is a good point I didn’t consider it likely one dying at 3-7 weeks. I think I’ve been convinced to get 3 and then just sell one if all 3 make it. Thank you so much for your input

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I’ve got an 8x8 coop and 87 square feet of run space. The run space is slightly disjointed because I converted my dad’s old pigeon loft into the coop. 5x3 of that run space is a little connector/vestibule (seen in photo 2) that connects the coop to the run. I worry about littles not being able to get away due to all the level changes into/from the connector, so my plan was only to let them mingle while supervised on and maybe 3 weeks old? I was going to build in a temporary brooder in the bottom right 2 squares (previously pigeon nest boxes).

Ah, selling is a great idea! Why didn’t I think of this?!

That's what DH and I did this last weekend, but under the poop boards https://www.backyardchickens.com/attachments/20220130_141816-jpg.2978096/ I think you location would be a great place for your brooder. As far as how many chicks, I always get 3 at a time, lol. Seems less stressful on DH I started with 3, added 3 more the next spring, and getting 3 more in March...it's totally up to you! But I do agree with other posters if something happens to 1 you still have 2

 

[K0k0shka]

Ah this is a good point I didn’t consider it likely one dying at 3-7 weeks. I think I’ve been convinced to get 3 and then just sell one if all 3 make it. Thank you so much for your input

I added 3 new chicks last year. One died at age 9 months (heart failure). They weren't laying yet at that point and still stuck together in a micro-flock within the main flock. Now I have the remaining 2 pullets and the older hens. Everybody gets along, but the hens definitely make it known that the pullets are at the bottom of the order, and the pullets enjoy each other's company and are always together. One of them is challenging the order of things and will probably move up the ranks soon, but until that happens, she has her sister to keep her company. It would've been stressful for her if she only had one peer and that peer died at any point in time before she was fully accepted as an equal by the hens.

Definitely 3 minimum.

 

[Pullet Press]

Hey all,

Not me just obsessing over my chick orders….

Currently have a pretty docile flock of five with Barred rock, Black australorp, Buff Orpington, and 2 Easter eggers. They just started laying last week FINALLY.

I want to add 2 chicks this spring (olive egger and black copper maran), however is this too few? I was going to brood them in the coop to help with integration.

I’m willing to get a third chick, just trying to keep the chicken noise level down for when they lay (to keep neighbor and partner happy). For some reason 8 seems so much more compared to 7 (especially when compared to the 5 I have now). My new girls do a lot of going to lay an egg but then yelling intermittently for an hour…I’m assuming they’re still trying to work out the kinks.

Thanks!

I would get 3 chicks instead of 2 (it won't make a noise difference). With any of the 2-chick batches I have done, the 2 chickens are super dependent on each other (while not a bad thing and super cute), I have found that 3 or more works better. This is just in my experience, and I don't exactly know how it would work for you.

 

[gabigirl21]

I would get 3 chicks instead of 2 (it won't make a noise difference). With any of the 2-chick batches I have done, the 2 chickens are super dependent on each other (while not a bad thing and super cute), I have found that 3 or more works better. This is just in my experience, and I don't exactly know how it would work for you.

Thank you! That is super helpful. Also just enabling me to get more chickens…oops

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Thank you! That is super helpful. Also just enabling me to get more chickens…oops

We're all about some chicken math

 

[K0k0shka]

P.S. When getting new chicks, always plan for some of them to turn out male, even if you buy "guaranteed sexed". No guarantee is 100%, you can still get a surprise or three. So if you end up having to get rid of the male(s) and end up with a lone female or only 2 females, you are in the same situation as when one of their buddies dies, so plan for that as well.

 

[Jajika]

Hey all,

Not me just obsessing over my chick orders….

Currently have a pretty docile flock of five with Barred rock, Black australorp, Buff Orpington, and 2 Easter eggers. They just started laying last week FINALLY.

I want to add 2 chicks this spring (olive egger and black copper maran), however is this too few? I was going to brood them in the coop to help with integration.

I’m willing to get a third chick, just trying to keep the chicken noise level down for when they lay (to keep neighbor and partner happy). For some reason 8 seems so much more compared to 7 (especially when compared to the 5 I have now). My new girls do a lot of going to lay an egg but then yelling intermittently for an hour…I’m assuming they’re still trying to work out the kinks.

Thanks!

Be sure when you add new chicks you add them in pairs. They need friends as they are at the bottom of the rung.