How many chicks is too few?

[STEMteacher_chickenmama]

I’m wanting to add more hens to our school’s current flock (1 rooster, 2 hens). I was thinking about getting 2 female Legbar chicks, but was wondering if that would be too small of a chick group. Our current Silkie is brooding and sitting on 3 eggs, so I’m hesitant to add much more than that due to space accommodations in our coop. What is the least amount of chicks that I should raise as a group to introduce to an established flock?

 

[Crazychickengirl2]

Don't take my word for it but probably 3

 

[CHlCKEN]

I think it’s best for every rooster to have atleast 4 hens. He will be breeding… CONSTANTLY… and you don’t want him to have only two girls to go back and forth with. He might overbreed them.

What are the measurements of your coop?

 

[STEMteacher_chickenmama]

I think it’s best for every rooster to have atleast 4 hens. He will be breeding… CONSTANTLY… and you don’t want him to have only two girls to go back and forth with. He might overbreed them.

What are the measurements of your coop?

Approximately 6 ft x 6 ft with 4 nesting boxes. I’m at home now (not at the school) and don’t have access to the coop. Headed over there later but I think the above measurements are pretty close.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Approximately 6 ft x 6 ft with 4 nesting boxes. I’m at home now (not at the school) and don’t have access to the coop. Headed over there later but I think the above measurements are pretty close.

I think it's cool you have a school coop

 

[CHlCKEN]

Approximately 6 ft x 6 ft with 4 nesting boxes. I’m at home now (not at the school) and don’t have access to the coop. Headed over there later but I think the above measurements are pretty close.

So that’s about 36 square feet.
Honestly a good rule of thumb is at LEAST 6-8 square feet per bird, but of course the more space the better. You mentioned that you have a silkie, so assuming that all of them are of that small breed you could likely get away with a couple more chickens in there than would be for standard breeds.

Given all of this I’d say your coop is pretty small and if it were me I would be comfortable with about 6 birds in there at max.

 

[STEMteacher_chickenmama]

I think it's cool you have a school coop

I love that our school has one too, and the kids love our chickens! We have fifth graders in our Critter Club who help care for them which I think is a super valuable learning experience.

 

[STEMteacher_chickenmama]

So that’s about 36 square feet.
Honestly a good rule of thumb is at LEAST 6-8 square feet per bird, but of course the more space the better. You mentioned that you have a silkie, so assuming that all of them are of that small breed you could likely get away with a couple more chickens in there than would be for standard breeds.

Given all of this I’d say your coop is pretty small and if it were me I would be comfortable with about 6 birds in there at max.

Only one is a small breed. Not sure what the others are but they are standard sized. If I purchased 2 chicks would that be ok in terms of the chick group? I can’t find any information on the minimum number of chicks to raise in a group (before adding them to the current flock).

Added photos of our chickens below.

 

[STEMteacher_chickenmama]

These are our current chickens.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

I love that our school has one too, and the kids love our chickens! We have fifth graders in our Critter Club who help care for them which I think is a super valuable learning experience.

I wish schools would do that around here