Chicken numbers for John Grogan's chicken ark plan accurate?

[elmo]

8 chickens will lay a lot of eggs, as the other comment noted.

You don't have to order chicks from a hatchery or pick some up from a feed store. You may be able to find a local breeder, and there are many advantages to getting chicks this way.

First off, you aren't participating in the factory farm industry. Breeders are more likely to be breeding for quality and not just quantity. You get to look over the husbandry conditions and often can see the parents of the chicks you pick out. The chicks don't get stressed by shipping. And you usually can pick just the number of chicks you really want, rather than having to mess with minimums.

We got our chicks locally, and we're so happy that we did. We got hybrid bantams that we never would have been able to order from a hatchery, and they're beautiful, delightful, healthy little birds.

Where we live, there is a local Yahoo poultry group as well as a Meetup group. You could check to see whether there are any similar groups where you live.

 

[dkistner1111]

Good advice, all. I was nervous about the idea of getting chicks locally because I figured there would be less, not more attention paid to their health, but I've been convinced. I'd have to order 8 chickens from My Pet Chicken because of where we live; three is not an option for me.

I like that chicken ark, and it would work for fewer birds. Plus we could move it if we don't stay where we are renting now.

Age and health? Well, that's certainly an important question! I'm 57, under 5' tall, and my back's not in the greatest shape. Plus I'm having to work an almost 10,000 sq ft garden by myself. I confess: One of the reasons I want chickens is so they can help me keep designated areas of the garden fertilized and picked down. Maybe I'd better start small and see how it goes, then see if I want more. I can always have more than one little coop, I guess, if I do decide to go larger.

Thanks everyone!