Chick season is here, how many chicks is too few to combine with a flock of 5 or 6 hens?

[Justicedog]

Oh boy, it's that time again. I've got a flock of 5 -2 year old hens and 1 - 8 year old hen - Grandma. Would getting and then later integrating just 2 chicks be too few? I'd always gotten 5 at a time (I've had three flocks). I'd love to do a 2 new every other year rotation, but don't know if that will be too few chicks to integrate and make them too vulnerable to being picked on.

I'd not had much issues integrating as I put a fence up in the coop when the chicks got feathers and too big to hang in the brooder.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I think it depends more on how much space you have than anything else. If you have room for more it might be easier on the chicks to have more but it will also be more upsetting to flock dynamics in my experience. If the established flock outnumbers the new kids the pecking order will stay pretty much the same unless you get a bossy breed like an RIR.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For me, 3 would be the minimum, because if one happens to pass away early on, you'll still have the 2 to buddy up until they reach point of lay and fully integrate into the pecking order.