How often do you add chicks?

[kklowell]

My flock consists of 11 birds that I got this past March, we're getting a half-dozen eggs per day on average now. The breeds are Golden Comets (4), White Leghorns (2), White Plymouth Rocks (2), RIR (2), and Silver-Laced Wyandotte (1). I'm thinking I should add another six chicks in the spring next year. That will, I expect, give me 17 hens laying by fall next year if I'm lucky enough to not get any males. But, I'm wondering if adding six birds a year is too often. My goal is to maintain a large enough flock to sell some eggs, but not so large that I'm constantly running out of coop/run room.
Should I just not even worry about it until year two?

 

[SueT]

I've added a few each year, this being the 4th year. I like to try new breeds. I like to have replacements for the 1 or 2 lost to predators each year. I like to have new pullets laying when all the older hens go into molt and stop for the winter. I added 2 one year, 6 the next and this past spring I got 5, but 3 were cockerels so I sold 2 of those. Now that I have a rooster, I will be able to let a broody raise replacements next year.
As long as there is room to add chickens, I'd say go for it. But you'll want to have a plan for subtracting as well as adding....

 

[snow5164]

I hate the whole process of adding young ones in so... we divided our run in half and added another coop beside the other one . Now as the hens reach 2 years or so it’s time for chicks , that way one of the flocks are always laying well .

This is one run full.. the other one behind it has 9 week olds

 

[coach723]

Like many others I add every other year for the most part, some years I hatch, some years I buy. I get pretty steady eggs that way, and can allow my hens to 'retire' and live out to a natural death without having to cull for numbers, and not have too many birds (too many based on space - if space was unlimited there would be no such thing as too many! ). It has worked well for me, I usually have between 18 and 24 birds, which keeps me in eggs with a few to sell to neighbors, but it depends on what your goals are.

 

[song of joy]

My flock consists of 11 birds that I got this past March, we're getting a half-dozen eggs per day on average now. The breeds are Golden Comets (4), White Leghorns (2), White Plymouth Rocks (2), RIR (2), and Silver-Laced Wyandotte (1). I'm thinking I should add another six chicks in the spring next year. That will, I expect, give me 17 hens laying by fall next year if I'm lucky enough to not get any males. But, I'm wondering if adding six birds a year is too often. My goal is to maintain a large enough flock to sell some eggs, but not so large that I'm constantly running out of coop/run room.
Should I just not even worry about it until year two?

Hens tend to lay fairly well the first couple of years, so adding replacements every other year works well. However, this assumes you don't mind a break in production when the hens cease laying in order to molt. To maintain production, some folks make sure they have pullets coming into lay in late fall/early winter, which coincides with the older hens winding down to molt.

 

[RodNTN]

I have around 45 chickens. During the span of one year, I usually lose a few chickens to disease, predators, or rehoming. So I typically add more pullets every spring, if I don't have any more space for new pullets I add more every 2 years or so.

But occasionally I'll catch chick fever and go on a hatching spree or something like that....

 

[kklowell]

Thanks for the reply, Song. I'll admit that some of my thinking is exactly that. I want to make it through this first winter before I go crazy though. Chicken math almost

 

[kklowell]

Wow, actually, thanks everyone for your replies! Looks like I don't need to think about it much for some time yet.

 

[Mrs. K]

I like the flock, I always have birds leaving the flock, so adding to the flock is important too. I add some new birds each year. This year I have added chicks in March, and just gave 5 to a broody hen. Three are going out before fall....yeah I know, the numbers don't add up or subtract down exactly... but hey, chicken math.

 

[aart]

I have limited coop space and an un-weatherproofed run,
so winter can get coop cabin-fever crazy, that's my population limiter.
I hatch new birds every year.... and give, sell, or slaughter birds every year.
All cockerels are now gone, had 9 this year.
Oldest and/or nonproductive hens will be gone before cold weather hits.
I keep half pullets and half hens over winter.
Will have to sell a few POL pullets this year to get numbers down to what fits well in coop during those days long snowstorms.

Egg production will always fluctuate, even when adding chicks every year.
I can cover all my feed and most bedding costs with egg sales annually,
some months are in the red some are in the black.
I only have a small customer base and they understand and work around the fluctuations of egg availability. Winter lighting can help keep production up, need a timer for sure but for how long and when to use light there are many options...and nothing is guaranteed.

My goal is to maintain a large enough flock to sell some eggs, but not so large that I'm constantly running out of coop/run room.
Should I just not even worry about it until year two?

I would get thru your first winter with the birds you have, you will learn a lot.
Think about how to add new chicks easily, I like to brood in coop 1 week after hatch then start integrating at 4wo. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/