If I can have 5...How many should I really get!?

[SIMPleChick]

Hey y'all!!! We are moving next week and our new neighborhood we can LEGALLY have up to 5 hens! We had to sell our hens last year when we hit a rough patch...so we are SOOOOOooooooo excited to get new hens!

I like having a mixed flock and lots of colored eggs! Last time we raised chicks, picking one of each, we ended up with a few roos out of the pullet bins. We had fun buying and selling and keeping, BUT I really am limited to 5 this year...hehehe And I don't want to buy way over and sell more than I keep...

SOooo...How many should I plan on getting to end up with ((5))?!?!?!

 

[Jake1297]

Well, most places the least amount of chicks you can purchase is six. So get six, if one dies (sorry) you'll have five. If not, sell or give one away. Or keep it and hope no one comes to actually count them. Have fun with how many you get.

 

[citychickx6]

Will you be ordering from a hatchery or getting from a feed store?
From a feed store you can get just 5 and most will have a variety of breeds to choose from.
If you do not see what you are looking to get see if they have some coming in or can order some for you.

 

[jdywntr]

Even if you want a mixed flock, are there any specific breeds you want? I did the same thing with my first birds and just got one of each. Now, after gaining more experience, I wish that I had gotten different breeds. I like mine, they all lay different color eggs so it is easy to see who is or isn't laying.
Unfortunatley, my least favorite who is a b*#@$, was supposed to be an EE but turned out to be a brown leghorn. The EE I have was supposed to be a white orpington so at least I got an EE. I just wish that I had been more particular. I don't have a problem with processing them but to do so without reason, seems wrong to me. Sigh....

 

[mohillbilly]

well lets do chicken math ....you want 5 hens....once your friends see them they want some so add 15 now you are at 20 , next when your neighbors see them they will want some so add 30 .
so that means you need to buy 5+15+30 =50

 

[MontanaMomma]

When I started my flock I got five right away. Now I wish I would have gotten a smaller number then added more each year so hens are different ages. When all my five quit laying at the same time, I was guiltily relieved when three died, meaning I could add new, young chickens to my flock. But if you intend to eat them, this does not apply to you.

 

[tweetysvoice]

When I started my flock I got five right away. Now I wish I would have gotten a smaller number then added more each year so hens are different ages. When all my five quit laying at the same time, I was guiltily relieved when three died, meaning I could add new, young chickens to my flock. But if you intend to eat them, this does not apply to you.

This was kind of my thought when I started reading through the responses. If you can only have 5 total, why not start off with three, that way next year you can get a couple more and have a staggered flock to keep the eggs coming longer. If you buy pullets or sex linked you won't have to worry about getting roos. There are a couple hatcheries that sell minimums of three, although the shipping is higher.

 

[BackyardCountry]

i would get 1 million...if i could. but i think 2 is a good number, so you can get more next year!!