how many to keep?

i have 8 different breeds 9 if you count color difference, my coop is 44'x25', my run is 100'x30'. i do not plain on breeding but to of the breeds and they will be sperated at that time(something you need to think about when keeping different breeds will you breed them, if so how will you separate them) my breeding coop doubles as a grow out pen for chicks, it is built on the front of the main coop, it is 10'x5' with the possiblity of a divider to make it two separate coops if i ever need to breed two different breeds at a time( i never put more than a tiro in their at a time. one of the wall to the main coop has a section of 1"x1/2" welded wire at the bottom up to about 4' so if i use it for chicks they can get use to the large birds and see their new home, makes introuding them much easier. the breeding coop has it own run that is 15'x25' that can also be sectioned in 2 if needed.(anywhere the roosters could possibly make eye contact i have old tin placed so they can not see each other, because with only 2 hens with each of them it has been my finding that they become very aggresive and could possibly hurt themselves trying to get to the other.

almost forgot i have 2 black stars 4 golden comets(red stars),8 welsummers, 10 silver laced wyndottes, 2 gold laced wyndottes, 6 rhode island reds, 6 barred rocks, 13 EE,2 muts


hope this helps somewhat maybe i told more than you wanted to know or left something out if so let me know and i will be glad to add it.

 

Are you planning to breed your chickens for show or sale (need purebreds)? If so you might want to post on the Breeds forum. If not--let them all mix together. And remember that asking BYCers how many chickens you should have is like asking a gambler how much money to bet!

 

Quote:Good point and so very true!

 

I have 5 and they all mixed togather. they all get along well. most of the time I let them freerange, the run I have is 12x 16