Deciding on 4 or 5 chickens...input?

[ONSTAD1]

Ok. This is embarrasing...

Chicken math before I even get chickens.

Here's my thought. Ive been wavering between 4 or 5 chickens. Been leaning toward 4...until tonight. Haveing second thoughts now... I hate to get 4 tomorrow and then in 6 months decide I want a fifth and have to integrate a chick into an established flock (not to mention I don't have the space to raise hens AND achick).

So I guess it boils down to space. I'm just on the cusp of ha ing room for five. I have 16 ftsq of coop space and 48ftsq of run. I plan to "free range" them in the yard for a few hours each evening. If they would be happy in this enviorment I'd prefer to go with 5.

I invite all to chime in as I figure the more opinions the better.

And oh yeah...I have till 2:00 pm tomorrow to decide : )

and no, I haven't been drinking!


Mo

 

[SouthernChicka8]

the more the merrier Go with 5

 

[SouthernChicka8]

Oh I forgot to ask. What breed are you getting?

 

[ONSTAD1]

if I go with 5 I can pick up 3 EEs, 1 australorp, and one star....if I go with 4, take out the star.

 

[flewdacoop]

i bought 4 chicks when i started just for me and my wife and our two kids to have eggs, well did not think that was enought so i went 4 days later and bought 2 more so now we will get about 5 eggs a day. one month later i buy 9 more because i have people that want eggs too. so now i have 15. my point is this if you are building a coop build it bigger than what you need, because you will always want more.. and my coop now is 4x4 with a 10x4 run and i have six in it now. but i am starting to build my new coop that will be 8x4 and my run will be 6x12 and i will have 15 chicks plus they will free range too... good luck and remember you will always want just 1 more. so just get it now..LOL

 

[SouthernChicka8]

if I go with 5 I can pick up 3 EEs, 1 australorp, and one star....if I go with 4, take out the star.

sounds like a great combination. I started out with 2 little australorp chicks. Now I have about 50ish and I keep adding. I have frizzles, silkies, orpingtons, EEs.. The list goes on.

Wish you the best with whichever and how many you do end up with!

 

[DeannaOR]

You are trying to fight the Chicken Math...it's impossible! You think you are going to be reasonable now...but in a week, you will be dreaming about just one more chicken. Then you will discover some breed you didn't know existed, and you will just have to have one of them...and on and on.

 

[DeannaOR]

By the way..the EE's are super fun chickens!

 

[Time-Out]

Go with 4. Your girls will have more space and you'll be happier, seeing them happier.

Plus... what if you DO find a breed you fall in love with? You'll really regret not saving that spot for her...

 

[TonySorrento]

My vote is 5...