Flock size?

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Started out with 2 BO hens. Loved them so much got 4 BO 8wk old pullets. Son got involved and brought home 6 TSC pullet chicks. They are all now laying and of course I needed a rooster to protect them. A 7mo old RIR. Gotta luv chicken math.

 

[u8sushi]

I have 9 ISA Browns that give me 7 to 9 eggs every day. I give away 2 doz to my brother and 1 doz for my folks each week. Works out great. I have one chicken laying giant eggs. I cannot even close an egg carton over them. Always a double yolker. Each chicken has a different personality and are habit forming.

 

[mandelyn]

My original plan was 3 or 4 but somehow I have 8 and I just got back into it a week ago. My coop is big enough for 20 so I'm prepared for this phenomenon called chicken math. Good thing, since 6 out of 7 eggs are developing in the incubator, so if they all hatch, then that's 14 minus any boys.

6 was a good number for me before, plus whatever chicks or eggs I had going. But I maintained 6 adults. This time I have a flock of "pairs".... the two cochins pal around together, the Astralorp and new Hampshire, the 2 red Stars, and the 2 babies. They sleep like that too. I'll never buy just one, it won't have a buddy when I add it.

Last time with my 6, I had 4 that would go around together, and the other 2. Occasionally mixing but not often. If you have 3, they may pal around. 4 will likely split up. It's neat how they "organize" and turn clique-ish.

 

[CMV]

Quote:

I upgraded my coop this year and insisted that my coop needed to be 10x12. My husband argued with me about it and told me the chickens didn't need a palace for themselves. I insisted that that was the required space for the number of birds I had between the different coops. Only after putting the birds in the new coop did I realize I had doubled their space requirements in my head and ended up with a coop that was twice the size I needed for the birds I have. My husband was unimpressed when I told him I may need more birds to help keep the coop warm in the winter.

 

[dawg53]

I started out with 3 chicks many years ago, but grew to 20 quickly. I cut back by attrition and now down to a managable dozen. Next spring I plan on increasing to 4 more. Twenty doesnt sound like much to some...but it was just a little too many for me.

 

[toto65]

I know this is kind of off topic but I have to ask. Does chicken math apply to turkeys too???

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Do they have two legs, wings and feathers?? IF yes, then Chicken Math does apply---as it does to chicken AND

quail, ducks, geese, etc...

 

[Lbrad7]

Quote:
I agree with this completely. I know it sounds strange since chickens so readily cross breed but I have over 100 birds and a lot of different breeds and I have noticed that the breeds will actually segragate to some extent when they are free ranging. I'm not saying that you can't 6 different birds all separate breeds and them not be completely happy but they do seem to enjoy being around the own kind.

 

[swordgeek]

How big a flock? How many birds can you possibly handle space- and time-wise? And how long before you admit that you need to build on to accommodate the ones you absolutely, positively HAVE to have because you want more interesting egg color/feathering/personality, etc. the next time around?

Let's see... I started with 5... one died young... one had to be separated and live indoors for half a year (leaving only 3 outside)... and to re-integrate the indoor bird I had to mix her in with 3 new ones... but somehow the 3 became 5... leaving us with 9 right now, including a rooster who was never intended to be a rooster but somehow just HAD to stay. (5-1-1+1+3+2=...9?) Math was never my strongest suit.

 

[33yardbirds]

Quote:
Now your getting into Poultry Physics.