I have the FAIREST breeder in the land!

[Cryss]

So I'm sure some of you have seen my questions and stories about my very special (to me anyway) 6 month old Lavender Orpington Repecca (now renamed Roopecca). She's had foot/balance issues, crop issues, and now she crows. Since everyone has a different opinion as to her gender based on appearance it is possible she is a she, but my breeder guarantees hens. One of my flock actually turned out to be a big beautiful Roo which he took back and gave me a hen, 2 actually but that's another story. When I told him Repecca crowed he said that means he owes me a hen. I told him, sorry, I love this crazy chook and won't be returning him/her. His answer? "I have never misjudged a gender twice for a customer, rarely even once! I will give you one free hen." Now THAT'S a fair and honest businessman!
SO! I am getting another chook! And another dilemma. Having recently integrated 2 new pullets into my little flock I've learned how social they are. The 2 have become total bonded buddies while the original 3 are equally bonded. Reminds me of high school cliques! So I asked my breeder, Ray, about this and wasn't it important to never integrate just one pullet? He agreed. Doh. Did I think he would say no? But seriously, I would be very upset with myself to create a "loner" in my flock. So. I'm going to have to buy one. Ray has some Barred Rock chicks not ready for outside.(I don't do itty bitties, yet) He has some Silver Laced Wyandotte (I already have one currently) and a trio of Jersey Giants which are acclimated and ready for outdoors. I am attracted to the JG. Good egg producers! So, 2?
New dilemma. If I take 2 of the trio of JG that leaves one pullet allllll allloooone!I feel so bad cuz it has been only with its siblings. Hubby almost fainted when I suggested taking all 3. I really don't know what to do now. The new will be small for a bit. Hopefully I can get a bigger henhouse built before they feel crowded.
How bad would it be to leave a single pullet on her own?

 

[Mrs. K]

You might very well have a case of chicken math disease, where one just wants more, they are so fun. We nearly all have come down with it. You are right, in that you can cheat a bit while they are little, but come September, you really need to fit into your coop as the long nights when every thing cooped up. Do not think you can cheat by free ranging. Measure your coop, measure the roost, do the math. Too many chickens in too cramped of quarters is not good.

Be aware that over crowding often times causes a lot of ugly behavior and wishing they all would be nice won't work. Be aware that the most darling of rooster chicks, which seem friendly and outgoing often times can turn into real attacking jerks.

Do remember that you can have years to enjoy this hobby. There are many aspects too it, one of the most important is that chicken math needs to work both ways...adding and subtracting.

Mrs K

 

[RUNuts]

I'm a little dizzy here.

Don't create a problem for your breeder trying to solve your own. But I don't have a solution other than wait.

I'll agree with Mrs. K. How much room do you have? Can you take a rain check for a hen later?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I agree with both of the above, especially if you think you might be tight on space with new additions.

 

[Cryss]

Oh yes, definitely infected with CMD (chicken math disorder).
As for having room.
My run is big enough for 10 but not my coop. I have been waiting for snow to go away to begin building a larger one that could hold 16. I think I want no more than 12, maybe less. (hide from chicken math ) This new development would give me 8. I just need to get busy but we're getting snow Monday
Got some thinking to do.

 

[Cryss]

Oh yes, definitely infected with CMD (chicken math disorder).
As for having room.
My run is big enough for 10 but not my coop. I have been waiting for snow to go away to begin building a larger one that could hold 16. I think I want no more than 12, maybe less. (hide from chicken math ) This new development would give me 8. I just need to get busy but we're getting snow Monday
Got some thinking to do.

 

[Cryss]

New developement.
It seems I have a habit of waiting too long to decide on new chooks. The Jersey Giants were sold. Actually this is a good thing. I've decided to go with 2 Barred Rock chicks that my wonderful breeder will grow for 2-3 more weeks till they are coop-ready. This gives me a window of time to get the new bigger coop done, or at least started. If I can pull that off I can turn the TS Coop currently housing my flock into the "Introduction" coop. Hubby is happy because he has always commented on how pretty Barred Rock chooks are and we read they are prolific layers, better than Orpingtons. Considering I'm getting about 5-6 eggs a week from each of my BOs now I'm excited about this.
So my one EE and one SLW should start laying around June 8, and these new BR gals around July 24.
So much has happened since I started this in November. I'm very excited to see what happens in the next several months!

 

[Kiki]

I'm a little late here but I'd like to add:
Make sure you have a big enough coop before you get new birds and I want to ask...are you not worried about bringing new birds and potentially new disease into your flock?

 

[ArborChicks]

I'm a little late here but I'd like to add:
Make sure you have a big enough coop before you get new birds and I want to ask...are you not worried about bringing new birds and potentially new disease into your flock?

It sounds like this OP has bought at least some of their current chickens from this gentlemen, so their flock has already been exposed to the other flock. =)

 

[Kiki]

It sounds like this OP has bought at least some of their current chickens from this gentlemen, so their flock has already been exposed to the other flock. =)

Thank you.
I missed that.