how many chickens does it take....

[reneshay]

not to change a light bulb...
but to make a flock?

i would love to have 2 laying hens, mainly as pets. (have had names for them for years...only recently acquired a yard big enough to actually have them!)

Is 2 too few? or is it enough for them to have each other and do all the things chickens need other chickens to do (like establish a pecking order)...
would rather not get in a pecking order fight with ONE pet chicken--for fear i'd lose my house to her!)

I'd appreciate any advice you can give me...

OK OK--i'll tell you their names...

Mildred and Matilda...(milly and tilly to friends)

thanks so much,
rene.

 

[slyfoxpeeps]

I started with four, didn't want any more then six, fell totally in love with the little silkies and decided I wanted some other breeds..... Now have over 45! You say 2 now.......

 

[reneshay]

thanks for your reply!!
believe me...i'm already trying to hold back on how many we start with...i'm REALLY trying to be realistic about how much time we have for more animals...especially animals that need a bit more care than our 2 dogs and 2 cats...

boy..i make us sound pretty pathetic, huh?
*LOL*

i just hope our town lets us have chicks... we have a pond on our property that is federally protected wetlands...and you can't do anything within 100 feet of the pond...well--EVERYTHING is 100 feet of the pond!!

wish me luck!!

 

[Corey NC]

I'd say 3 at the very minimum so that if something happens to one (which is very likely) you won't be left with 1 extremly lonely hen.

 

[nccatnip]

Quote:
Agree!!!

 

[reneshay]

thanks--
3 sounds like a good idea...
just in case...

no lonely hens if we can help it!

 

[slyfoxpeeps]

Good Luck! A couple would be fine, do check on town regulations though. That's why I moved back to the country. We have 3 dogs,1 cat, and 2 horses. All of the other animals wait for me to get done with the chickens before they get their attention. They don't mind though and with just a couple of girls it wouldn't take long at all to take care of them. Watch though, one of my dogs is a Weim. (bird dog) I have to watch him like a hawk!

 

[reneshay]

can you all suggest a breed or breeds that may be easier than others to raise?

i have a few books and other sources, but it's nice to hear from people who are already raising chickens...

 

[slyfoxpeeps]

OH BOY your in trouble now!!!!!

 

[reneshay]

oh well..i've already opened the flood gates... let me have it!!!