How many chickens did you start off with?

[mener6896]

I didn't know exactly where to post this question, but I was wondering how many chicks most people started off with?

I got 2 chicks at Easter (this year) and immediately put in my order for 25 pullets. I then decided to get a roo....26. The hatchery sent me a bonus chick...27 for a grand total of 29 chickens. I am completely new to chickens and so far I am loving every minute of it, but I was wondering if I started off a big large for my first flock?

It seems when I see signatures of other people, they only have a few birds....maybe just me being curious.

 

[cposz]

We have 4. Two adult Red Stars and 2 Buff Orpington chicks. I think alot of it has to do with how many chickens people can accomodate - how much property they have, how big their coop is, etc.

We live in a city suburb - in these instances, there are often regulations about how many you can have - if the city ordinances allow you to have any at all.

 

[dun chick]

Look at my sig. I originally started out like you three years ago, got 3 then put in a hatchery order. I then started on particular breeds, figured out ones I loved and had a very nice flock last year of 50 birds of pure breds. My coop was not entirely predator proof and lost all my chickens in a racoon raid last january so I had to start over. If you have the room and assuming you just fell in love with your lil brood and wanted more you will be fine.

 

[CMV]

I started with 6 and now have 5. I always start slow with any new venture I get into. I also only had housing for 6 birds to live comfortably. I am currently in the process of building a new house for 4 ducks and 4 geese. They should be coming this week. Again, starting slow.
I would like to get more chickens, but my husband is happy with the number we have. Five birds gives us enough eggs to be able to give some away every week, and they don't decimate our yard with scratching and pooping. I'm still working on him. He'll come around.

 

[Phox01]

We kinda went nuts , started with 48 chicks end of April and we are up to 54 now. Started with no coop , no brooder and no sense. Doiing fine though , have coop , run but still no sense.

 

[froggie71]

started with an order with 2 other people and we ordered 10 chicks, knowing there would be an "exotic" chick also. Then after a not so great 1st shipment, a few more were sent and we ended up with the 10 we ordered, the "exotic" (turned out to be an EE) an extra and we kept 1 of the 12 PP roos that were sent.

 

[mener6896]

thanks for the quick response...now the funny part....how will we name all of them? My nieces have come up with names for all of the chicks (granted they are only 5 days old) but they can tell them all apart, and I have 9 different breeds!!! A big feat if you ask my opinion! My boys, however, are much less interested.

I have 8 acres, and the girls coop is 8x12. We also have a 10x40' run, and I will let them free range sometimes too. Although this will be heavily guarded because we have so many predators.

I can see how this is addicting!!

 

[georgialee]

Well, I originally got 11 at TSC. Then I went back and bought 6 more about a week later. Then I decided I really wanted some ameraucanas and blrw... so that added 7 to my total. To keep DH from freaking out I sold the oegb's I had since I really wanted laying chickens. All that happened iin about 3 weeks. So my starting total was 18.

 

[vtsarahb]

I started with 11 this spring. I have 25 meaties coming in 2 weeks.

 

[Scoop]

You would have reached 29 birds anyway, it'd have only been a matter of time!

I started off with 12. We used 5 for meat birds. But we are now up to about 26 I think. Who counts?