How many do you order of each breed?

[P0U1TRYP3RS0N]

I'm placing my Ideal order right now. The breeds I really love I'm ordering a dozen or so of. The breeds I just want to try I'm only ordering a couple. Just curious...How many do y'all usually order per breed? Maybe it's just my luck, but the breeds I order only a couple of always die, but on the flip side if you order too many birds for your brooders, they crowd and die!

 

[ChickenToes]

When I ordered my EEs I ordered a straight run of 5. I ended up with 3 roos and 2 hens. I got lucky with that though, sometimes straight runs end up being almost all roosters. To be on the safe side, if you want to order straight run I would order 8 or so. Or, just order 2 hens and 2 roos, or 3 hens and 2 roos. Whatever works for you.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Last year when I placed my first order, also from Ideal, I only ordered the exact amount I wanted of each type.
I think it was 6 Buff Orpingtons, 6 Cuckoo Marans, 1 Leghorn, and 1 Black Sumatra. I got extremely lucky and had no deaths, so when I placed my second order for 25 Cornish Rocks, I again went with the exact number I wanted. Again, I got really lucky and prosessing time came and I had exactly 25 birds.

But thinking on it, I was probably kinda dumb. This year when I place my order with them I'll be getting 1-2 more than what I want of each thing, espeically since I'm re-selling some of the chicks locally.
I downsized my flock this past fall and I had local people clamoring for my birds so I don't think I would have any problem selling extras, just my 2 cents.

 

[toletiquesbysam]

I was going to order 3 (pullets) each breed with 5 different kinds and 1 rooster total of 16. But DH said we should go with 25, so it will be 5 of each and then 1 rooster for a total of 26.
Now that I think about it maybe I should get 2 roosters?!?!?!

 

[Teach97]

I would be willing to bet that in your order of 25 you will end up with a rooster anyways...but you never know

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Teach is right. Of 25 or more you always wind up with roos. They try to get them all right but so often they don't. Don't order a roo unless you want a specific breed. You will wind up with one in an order of 25. And yes, I would get 5 of each. I ordered 5 Australorps from Ideal but 3 died immediately so I have only 2 left to see if it is a breed I would want to continue with or not. I don't think 2 is enough to judge temperament or egg laying by.

I always order at least 5 of everything but it also depends on what I want. Right now I have 20 Barnevelders, 10 buff Brahmas and 10 EE's coming. Last year I ordered many more breeds and got 5 or 10 of each and the year before I got a lot of one breed which I was bored with really soon, hence the many breeds last year.

 

[newfmadible]

Jeez! You all must have large chicken coops! Do you usually order more than you plan on keeping? I have been wondering how many to get for my first ever experience raising chicks. Is it common to always lose a few? I am having such a hard time deciding on which breeds to get. There are so many I want to try but I don't want to crowd my coop too much. My coop is 8x8 so I figured on 16 but maybe I should order more in case some don't make it. If I got 5 of each that would only allow me 3 different breeds and I don't think I can narrow it down that much. Help!

 

[jerryf]

Cackle hatchery has a minimum of 15 chicks. You can order straight run, pullets or cockerels.......that's where I am going to order mine.
15 black sex link pullets,,,,,,,,,keep 10 and sell a few

Jerry

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I live on a farm and at the point I started getting chickens I decided to sell off the horses so we had plenty of room. And let me tell you, 25 chickens will never be enough. You will always want MORE!

I started with a small flock of 7, hatched a few, wasn't happy enough and now a few years later am up to 135 or so and still adding. Too many wonderful breeds to choose from and you never know what may be your favorite(s)!!
Besides, my horses never fed me like this!