Chicken Math - Newbie

[Kalobis]

Hello all, I have a couple of questions I couldn't find answers to, and I was hoping you could help!

Q1) We are getting our first chicks soon and are planning for a starting flock of 6 ladies (up to 12 and some ducks once we know what we are doing), no roosters. In my area I can only get unsexed chicks, should I get 12? Assuming half will be male? Or do people get six, then get six more and repeat until you have the right-sized flock?

Q2) I see lots of posts about people with multiple breeds, very cool. If we wanted to get a bunch of different breeds, is that ok as chicks? We were thinking about getting 4 chicks each from 3 different breeds to get the initial 12, again, assuming half will be male. Or, should we get all one breed, then add in others as we go?

Thanks in advance!

- K

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'll give the opposite advice - I would get 6, keep whatever girls you have, and repeat the next year or skip a year. The reason being is if eggs are your priority, you will have more consistent egg production from a flock that's spread out in age. For example my coop is built for 12 and I still haven't made it to 12 birds, and my flock is made up of 3, 5, and 7 year olds.

THAT SAID, space really matters if you're going to grow a flock over time, as integration favors extra space. When you see space minimums listed here, that's for a flock that's already integrated. You will need more than minimums for a smooth integration.

As far as breeds, I mix and match. I just get whatever I want within reason (i.e. I don't have Polish or Silkies, because they'd be more likely to get picked on by being "different"). Most of my birds are medium production, medium standard sized breeds with milder personalities.

 

[Bananabread]

My main advice would be to avoid getting 6 now and waiting to the gender declare itself and then 6 or however many more later. It'll take a good 8-10 weeks to reliably know how many Roo's you got and then you'll get to start over...swimming in chick dust for a good 3-4 months followed by the joy of integrating mid winter...when it's cold and everybody wants to huddle up but they don't huddle with strangers!

So that said, I'd take a hybrid approach. Get 8-12 now...and call it a day. If you get 6 great...if you get 12 hens...hopefully you bought Powerball tonight too. Anywho...whatever you get, I'd call it a year and then next spring round out with however more you want.... which will stagger them a little too.

...just my two cents

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'd get 12 right away and hope half are female. It's easier than trying to add more to an established group.

Most breeds mix well. I'd just be careful with crested birds, very small bantams, and some game breeds which can be pretty feisty.

 

[aart]

Here's some chicken math to tackle:
How big is your coop, in feet by feet?

 

[Happy hen lover]

Hello all, I have a couple of questions I couldn't find answers to, and I was hoping you could help!

Q1) We are getting our first chicks soon and are planning for a starting flock of 6 ladies (up to 12 and some ducks once we know what we are doing), no roosters. In my area I can only get unsexed chicks, should I get 12? Assuming half will be male? Or do people get six, then get six more and repeat until you have the right-sized flock?

Q2) I see lots of posts about people with multiple breeds, very cool. If we wanted to get a bunch of different breeds, is that ok as chicks? We were thinking about getting 4 chicks each from 3 different breeds to get the initial 12, again, assuming half will be male. Or, should we get all one breed, then add in others as we go?

Thanks in advance!

- K

I agree get 12 and hope for the best. I started with 3 breeds and even though they were same age they hung with their breed. If you get different breeds I would go for 4 of each hoping to get at least 2 of each breed. Mine did okay but I had one lone Australorp and she's never fit in( she's my broody hen) . Adding in others later is a challenge imo. But it's doable just easier once you get the hang of it all.
By the way welcome here.

 

[lomine]

I'd say start small. If you are wanting eggs, you may be disappointed in 3 years when your hens all start laying less. If done right, integration is generally pretty easy. That's assuming your coop has enough space for everyone. If you are getting a prefab, in-the-box kind of coop, I'd say assume you have room for half of whatever they list on the box.

I've had many different breeds over the years and for the most part they have gotten along fine. Though I do cull any birds that are aggressive so that's something to keep in mind. I would also not recommend silkies in a mixed flock. I'd also keep in mind that if you want ducks, they'll need more space than chickens. They are also messy with their water so have a plan in place for that.

 

[lomine]

The nesting boxes jut out, so they don't take up any floor space. I put a shingled roof over the run, and we don't get much snow that lasts since we are near the ocea. Do you think the cold alone would keep them indoors? This first winter, we should only have 4-8, so I guess it will be a good test.

I don't have snow that sticks around either. I've got windy winters so mine generally stay inside unless it's warmer and/or sunny.

The problem with giving them the minimum space is that you have a greater chance of dealing with other issues. For example, excessive pecking, feather pulling, higher susceptibility to lice/mites, and higher susceptibility to diseases and illness. Plus you'll have a lot less wiggle room in your cleaning because you won't want it to build up in an over-crowded space. If you plan to fill it up, I would start with just 4 and see how it goes your first winter.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a crested bird? We were thinking more like buff orpingtons, black marans, and austraulaurps.

Mostly silkies, and polish. Those breeds that have the poof of feathers on the head that will often obscure their vision. They often can be a target for bullying. Others like apenzeller don't have a crest that obscures their vision so they do fine in which mixed flock.

 

[lomine]

The coop is 8x4 (32 sq ft), and the run is 16x8 (128 sq ft) with the intent to let them free range whenever we are home.

That would only be big enough for 8 at the very minimum. And that's pushing it. I'm assuming by your location that you have cold winters. Some chickens may venture out on nicer days, but I've found that my chickens will spend the majority of their time in the coop. They don't like snow and they don't like wind. The ducks are less finicky. When you cram too many in a small space you end up with unhappy and unhealthy birds.