how many chickens are two many chickens

[Blessedchickens]

I have six silkies, fifteen australorps, four bantam cochins, three ducks, three guinea fowl, three dogs and a cat - oh and three acres. BUT the chickens are only on one. We do not have the rest fenced correctly for them. (Some day *sigh*) Sooo if you are a hoarder, so am I!! But I also cull or re-home animals if I feel liek there are too many. Mine follow me around like dogs too, but I do not have a problem finding a home for them if there are just too many.

 

[onthespot]

30, Pfffft! Lightweight!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

It sounds like your chickens have a good lifestyle and enjoy being with you. Mine follow me around the property and like to sit with us, too. It's obvious you love them very much.

Whether the number of chickens or other animals a person has is a problem isn't usually as much about numbers as it is about the conditions they're kept in. As long as they're well taken care of, that's the most important thing. Do they get enough food and have clean water? Is the housing clean? Do they have enough space? Do they have any medical problems that aren't being treated? Do they have any internal or external parasites they aren't being treated for? Are you starting to feel overwhelmed by the amount of work it takes to care for them? If they're in good shape and you're happy, that's a good sign.

In the case of your neighbors, they may just be the type of people that think everyone should live their lives the exact same way they do. Some people are impossible to please. Some people don't like the idea of chickens, even just a few. If you have any neighbors like that, I'm sure they're having a fit.

I would ask myself honestly, though, if they have any legitimate complaints. Especially if you're all living on fairly small pieces of land close together. You have 5 roosters with 25 hens. Are they crowing occasionally or is it all day long, as they compete with each other? Are you having any odor problems? How about when the weather is wet and the run is wet? Is your property in good repair? Do things look pretty good, if people are close enough that they have to look at your property when ever they're in their yards? If any of these things are an issue, I would try to work on the problem. If they aren't an issue, I wouldn't worry about it.

Are your hens sitting on large clutches? If you have a couple batches of chicks added to what you have now, I'm a little concerned about the number of roosters you're going to end up with. You might want to start thinking about removing some of the cockerels or roosters from the flock, after you end up with more males. You've already got a rooster for every 5 hens. A 50/50 pullet/cockerel hatch will make that ratio even worse. How are your roosters getting along now?

 

[mama dixie]

thank you for all the feed back. I have asked myself why I have so many and I guess I have alot of reasons. one I so love chickens. especialy my cochins. As a family we are trying to be self suffeient or at least as much as we can. we eat the eggs use the manure and so on. we do raise some birds for meat that is very hard for me but I dont want to be someone who doesent get real about where that fryer in the store comes from. we keep the coops clean and keep the odor down with lime in the winter. I know I will need to get rid of alot of the babies coming up so I am in the portland oregon area if anyone may want a few babies. My roosters do well they seem to get along once in a while they will duke it out and I just pick them up and hang them upside down and tell them they have to get along or hit the frying pan and so far it works. I love on them and hand feed them alot to and know oneday they may go wild. I did not plan the babies but cant just kill them so I will find them homes or take them or some of the others to auction. we give alot of the eggs away to friends who are on tight budgets and sell some to help offset the feed. I know I am kinda odd but I am not to sure we wont need to all learn how to depend on our property one day. I dont like to think doom and gloom but so many people are so displeased with the way stuff is going that I am worried things may get ugly at least for a time so I am just getting coop set as a productive part of our little farm. I do not think we would need to hatch and eat them but I tell ya I hear some people talk and think to much information cleans the brain cleans the brain. anyway I am going to look long and hard at the clan and try to see where I can make some cuts and get them to loving homes. I really apreciate all the input, I also have one chicken that is just not getting better and we need to put it down what is the kindest way to do that. it is a silky that I thought had a bad joint I have been nursing it and it is just getting worse. I dont want it to suffer any longer.

 

[urban escapee]

Good fences make good neighbors

 

[mama dixie]

I am familiar with the saying good fences make good neighbors but do you meen I should put a fence? I would love to but funds are so tight. I have tried to give the people griping eggs but they are just kinda weird and I think they just dont like me. we are very diffrent and I dont expect all to like me but dont pick on my birds.... oh well and hey it is going to be getting colder soon so I wont have to interact with the nay sayers as much.

thank you all again...

 

[Beekissed]

Take a look at your flock and their living quarters. If you have frequent bouts of illness, build-up of fecal matter/smell, bare-backed or feather picked chickens, barren runs/spots in your forage areas....then you may want to rethink your flock size and matrix. For the amount of hens you have, 5 roos are 3-4 too many and yes, you need good fencing to keep neighbors happy.

If your flock is healthy, clean, fully feathered when not actively molting and not overusing the existing run/forage area, then I would say you have just the right amount of chickens. You do not qualify as a hoarder until you have too many birds to too little space and can't care for the ones you have....your acreage seems adequate room to run that size of flock. I've kept 25-30 chickens for many years now on a one acre plot and it has been plenty big enough.....no barren or overused areas in my forage, clean and happy birds.

 

[shober]

Some folks just like to complain! Don't let what the neighbors say bother you. As long as you are within the law they have no grounds to harass!

Sounds like you have plenty of room for them. I know how you feel about the killing, I can just never do it! My girls are my precious jewels and I will just keep them as pets. I know the reality of it all, but I don't have to do it!

My mom grew up in the depression and used to cull hens on the farm all the time. When I later had a flock, she used to sit out with them and name them and sing to them ! She said that she could never cull another as long as she lived. People change! Maybe your neighbors just watch too much tv!! I don't think you are a hoarder at all.

 

[AZBootsie]

Quote:
x2
When providing care is so consuming that you no longer enjoy it. I have 40ish now and it is still a pleasure!!

 

[riane'smimi]

I am soo sick of the word "hoarder" If you have 5 coffee cups ,or 6 pillows you must be a hoarder.30 chickens sounds just fine to me.I have that many myself plus 6 ducks and 4 geese.
Nobody has the right to tell another how many chickens or anything else they can have.You should be able to judge it yoursef .
A hoarder can not stop collecting whatever it is that they need to feel good.They collect until they run themselves out of their own homes and end up not being able to care for themselves nor their homes.It's a mental problem ,they can not stop.It's not people that farm and raise their own food.You need hens for eggs and roos for dinner.Some people sell their eggs ,well you need enough hens to supply the customers.Others raise show birds .Well you need more than 6 birds for that.
I am just wondering if people that have dairy farms or beef cattle are hoarders.How about the chicken factories where the stores get their eggs,are they hoarders?
People need to worry about their own homes and their own problems instead of what others have or what they are doing on their property.
Don't worry about it unless you find it too many for you to take care of.And if it is too many for you to take care of it still doesn't make you a hoarder,it only means you feel you need less birds for your family.
I started out with birds last year after seeing where my eggs and meat came from. I don't want to eat an egg from a sick gross chicken .They pack them like sardines and they can not even move.There are dead birds in the cages with them and it is just disgusting . I planted a garden this year also and will again next year.I feel you are correct when you say that we may have to start depending on our land to feed us.If nothing else we will be healthier for it.Good luck and don't get rid of your birds just because somebody else doesn't like it.Talk to them and see what the problem is and maybe you two can work it out.