Don't want to kill my friends

[gritsar]

Quote:
There's one big drawback that I can see to starting with less than three. Chickens are very socialable, flock animals. If you only have two and goodness forbid something happens to one of them, you'll have an awful lonely chicken on your hands.

 

[Justino]

i have 2 that are 10years old and still lay off and on....theyre real sweet birds

 

[desertgirl]

Quote:
There's one big drawback that I can see to starting with less than three. Chickens are very socialable, flock animals. If you only have two and goodness forbid something happens to one of them, you'll have an awful lonely chicken on your hands.

I hadn't thought of the social aspect of the flock. If I get three, two might gang up on the other (like in my DH's family!). Guess four it is.

 

[Dr.Doorlock]

I'm glad I read these messages. I have 7 RiRs and one older game hen. I bought her for $15 because she was sharing a very small cage with a pretty tough looking roo. She immediately set herself at the top of the pecking order just by taping a few pullet heads. Now they are so busy staying away from her that none of them get pecked. Lucky break. I took the "peepers" off so they could see her coming and dodge.

Each of my ordinary production hens has a distinct personality. If I decide to let them go so I can bring some younger chicks into my limited space, it will be difficult. I would have to be content to have given them a pampered life for many years without any old bird infirmaries.

 

[Akane]

I'd probably do 3. I haven't seen a problem with 2 ganging up on one. It makes no difference. If you have 10 you might have 9 gang up on one. If someone ends up the bottom of the pecking order they are just the bottom of the pecking order irregardless of how many you have. More chickens seems to just get them beat up worse. Usually they work it out so everyone has their place and there aren't problems unless someone gets injured or something. If you have 3 and one dies you still have 2 so you won't have a lonely chicken. You also have some extra room should you find something interesting and want to get 1 adult of that breed or a pair of chicks. Just avoid ending up with 1 chick growing up alone or 1 adult chicken by itself.

 

[Cetawin]

Hi and welcome to BYC. You can let them live out their days...that is what my girls will do. They are my pets and layers but when they stop laying or slow way down, I can always get a new layer.

The way I see it, they have done their job which was provide me with eggs. I can do my part and let them retire, chase bugs and be ladies of leisure.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Welcome! I just started with this forum a week ago. My family of 5 started with 3 little bantam hens and a rooster (by accident) I MUST WARN YOU ITS EASY TO FEEL OVERRUN WITH TOO MANY EGGS! Since August we've had to collect 3 eggs a day, even in the winter. In January my 3 boys did the lazy boy act and did not collect eggs for a few days. One little hen got broody and hatched 2 adorable little chicks in February. Now we have 4 little bantam hens, one cockerel and a rooster. We have a full dozen eggs in the fridge, and tonite there are 6 more eggs in their nest, plus they will lay 3 more tomorrow.....you must get the picture. I'd say 2 darling hens for 2 adults in your household might be a pretty good number! My boys are good eaters, but apparrently we don't eat eggs EVERY day. We look forward to our pets' older years, when all we collect is their lovin'. Chickens are very good pets. Good luck, and please post photos of what kinds of chickens you choose! Have fun!

 

[rebecca10782]

I am so glad I saw this post! We have chickens for eggs only, and they are all named and are family pets. I was a vegan before I got chickens, so I wasn't planning on slaughtering or selling them but I had NO idea what amazing little creatures they are! They all have their own personalities and funny little behaviors. I had no idea that I would get so attached to them. I just thought that they kept to themselves and were not very friendly towards people. My mom often tells me that these chickens have more personality than most people I know

And I agree. It is just very important to socialize them when they are tiny so that they get used to being picked up and petted. Ours are too tame. If we ever go into the backyard without their daily bowl of oatmeal, they scream at us and bother us until we go in a fetch them something. When we dig with the shovel, they are right on top looking for worms. They make us laugh all day long. You will completely fall in love.

My suggestion is that you start of with at the very least four. Chickens die easily and if you get just two and one dies, it will get very depressed. After a few years when their laying slows down, ad two more. You never want to add only one to the flock because once chickens form a group, they don't let anyone else in. They will beat up any newcomers. Our problem is that we have too many chickens, so once their laying slows we can't get anymore. We will keep them until they pass away from old age

Even if chickens didn't lay eggs, I would keep them as pets. Every day they do something new that will make you fall over laughing. Especially babies!

 

[KattyKillFish]

I keep all my "retired" hens and spoil them up. for me chickens are pets with benefits

!

 

[BorderKelpie]

The way I see it, they never go out of production.Even when they stop laying consistantly, they preduce wonderful compost material, they do an incredible job aerating (sp?) my flower beds and veggie garden AND they eat bugs! They are always useful. You can justify keeping them into retirement that way. Besides - they are hilarious to keep around. Mine are my mental health break.