How big is a chicken flock?

[Number1Sticky]

Ok, this may sound weird but I'm writing a story and I need to know about how many chickens are in a chicken flock. Also what else can you house with chickens? Ducks, turkeys etc..

Thanks!!

 

[feathers4fun]

I don't know that a flock has a definitive size or quantity. A few hens is a small flock, many hens a large flock. As for housing different types of poultry together, we have chickens, turkeys and ducks roaming our barnyard and they all come into one side or the other of the barn at night. The ducks prefer their own space, and we have one hen turkey that flies in to our silkie pen every night.

 

[Jeezmcrow]

Iam not sure if there is a rule for this. I have 3 laying hens and I called them my flock, then i added 3 chicks and called them a seperate flock. And now that they are all together in the pen they make one flock. but they still run around as seperate flocks. Does that answer your question?

 

[Illia]

To each their own - I consider a "flock" as anything beyond 6 chickens.

 

[sourland]

Anything from 2 to infinity.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I agree with the 2 to infinity answer. Are you writing a fictional story or a general piece on chickens? I could give you some general numbers, based on myself, some of my neighbors, friends and others I've known with chickens.

People that live in urban areas with a few chickens often have 3-6 chickens. Cities usually limit the number of chickens that people can own.

People that live out in the country and have eggs just for their own use often have 6-12.

People that are selling a few of their extra eggs may have anywhere from 25-50 chickens.

Some people that sell eggs as more of a business or that breed chickens to show or sell may have hundreds of chickens.

If people just love having chickens, well, that could be any number!

I hope this helps!

 

[CONNIDORO]

I bought a rooster ( don't know the breed, but a beautiful one) and put in the pen with my rock rooster. My rock has it terrified!! It will not come out of the corner, literally, hides it head, what can I do? It has been 4 days and he is still afraid. I have about 40 hens so I thought I could put another rooster in there without much of a problem, wrong! Help!!!

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I try to keep my flock under 25. Right now I have 27, but 15 of those are 3 week old babies and I'm sure a good portion of those are males. Come Spring I will get rid of all but 2 roos... oh, and, of course, keep all my hens.

 

[BarredBuff]

I consider a flock over 15 chickens. Why I think that I dont know. You can house any poultry with chickens (Ducks, Geese, Turkeys, Guinea Fowl). What kind of story?

 

[egg proof]

Webster's says a flock is a group of (whatever) with a leader. Maybe one chicken can lead another for a minimum of 2, but if they are like my flock of 7, what one does, they all do. There is panic if they separate, and they seem to have no real leader. I wish the 2 freeloaders would get the hint and lay eggs like the rest of the "flock."