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-Have 6.
-Depends how many adding. Maintain 4-5 pullets/hens for family egg consumption.
-Hatch or buy chicks dependent of wants and needs.
-Will sell chicks; had poor hatch this spring so kept what popped out.
-Turn over each year here, kept 2 hens over summer and will until this spring. Sad we had to buy 5 dozen eggs, tried to stock up before selling other hens.
-Have a grow out coop for wee ones and alternate free range times until big enough to range together in separate flocks. By 16 weeks youngin' go to big girl coop with what hens are staying, if any.
-Only had one this year. Will sell or eat extras next year.
-If purchasing, I've little fear of disease with less than week old chicks and of course after I've seen their parents pens, breeders grounds.
-Mixing older and younger can add dynamics that lengthen integration time. Our production red hens wouldn't take any guff from the rooster either. 23 weeks and Nugget merely stares at him and he backs away. Reds entered his fold well enough now though.
