Is 3 enough?

[bethnlee]

April 16 I got 5 EE/OE 3 week old chicks. Two of them turned out to be roosters, sadly. What beautiful boys! But I can't have roosters where I live so they have, thankfully, found a new home where they will have lots of girls to associate with So that leaves me with 3. I'm wondering if they will be lonely? I'd love to find two their age to add to my flock but realize I would need to quarantine them for at least a month and I haven't quite figured that out yet (I may sacrifice my garden to them as it is in a dog kennel that is wrapped and secure) So, what do you think? Is 3 enough? If I did add two back in would it be better to add two of the same age/size or get young chicks...obviously I wanted 5 and have the room for them. Thanks in advance.

 

[Weeg]

For them, yes, 3 will be enough. 2 is s pare, 3 is a flock.
For you? No, 3 will not be enough. Chicken math will strike you sooner then later.

 

[bethnlee]

ugh...I know! Thats why I had 5 cuz I only went to buy 4. and now I'll looking at ways to get a second small coop attached to my run, cuz I have room in the run for more I just love my girls (and the roo's were so stinking beautiful!! I wish I could have kept them (I'm new at chickens...these are my first)

 

[Weeg]

ugh...I know! Thats why I had 5 cuz I only went to buy 4. and now I'll looking at ways to get a second small coop attached to my run, cuz I have room in the run for more I just love my girls (and the roo's were so stinking beautiful!! I wish I could have kept them (I'm new at chickens...these are my first)

Soon enough you’ll have 20!
I started with a flock of 7, now I have ducks, and am starting a “business” hatching and selling chicks. I plan on having 6 breeding pens, one containing my two pet Cornish X on a diet lol!!
You should look into bantams. They’re really the best, so friendly and absolutely adorable! I love the colors as well.

 

[bethnlee]

Soon enough you’ll have 20!
I started with a flock of 7, now I have ducks, and am starting a “business” hatching and selling chicks. I plan on having 6 breeding pens, one containing my two pet Cornish X on a diet lol!!
You should look into bantams. They’re really the best, so friendly and absolutely adorable! I love the colors as well.

Ha! My husband would just...go bonkers Sounds like you are really off on a great venture! I can imagine how much POOP you have!!! I'm a bit shocked by all the poop but my compost pile seems fine with it. I've wondered if bantams would be ok to bring in...I love the friendly, need to be heat tolerant and good layers...and then back to the ? older ones or babies??

 

[Weeg]

Ha! My husband would just...go bonkers Sounds like you are really off on a great venture! I can imagine how much POOP you have!!! I'm a bit shocked by all the poop but my compost pile seems fine with it. I've wondered if bantams would be ok to bring in...I love the friendly, need to be heat tolerant and good layers...and then back to the ? older ones or babies??

Get chicks for sure. You can get sexed ones if you get sex-linked colors. Plus then your guaranteed to get the correct gender. Otherwise you find homes for the roosters since you can’t vent sex bantams.
Bantam chicks are SO INCREDIBLY CUTE, snd it gives you more time to socialize them.

 

[bethnlee]

Get chicks for sure. You can get sexed ones if you get sex-linked colors. Plus then your guaranteed to get the correct gender. Otherwise you find homes for the roosters since you can’t vent sex bantams.
Bantam chicks are SO INCREDIBLY CUTE, snd it gives you more time to socialize them.

Thanks! I'll absolutely look into it...then Id need to learn how to move them into the coop so they'd be accepted by the 3 girls i have. With the bantams maybe I could get 3 I'll check into their space requirements....hummm I love adventures

 

[Weeg]

Thanks! I'll absolutely look into it...then Id need to learn how to move them into the coop so they'd be accepted by the 3 girls i have. With the bantams maybe I could get 3 I'll check into their space requirements....hummm I love adventures

I tend to sit towards at least 10 ft of space per bantam. That’s what’s recommended for standards, but I personally think that’s way to small. Really, as much space as you have, or whatever seems visually correct Is my rule of thumb. The recommended space seems way to small.

 

[Happy hen lover]

3 is fine. You could get more but combining more always scared me. Once their older they're so territorial. And the pecking order is so real! Just read up on integrated the chicks into flock for sure. Mine are 11 months old and the 3 first ones still are pushy to the last 2 that are only 1 month younger. Bully's lol

 

[bethnlee]

I tend to sit towards at least 10 ft of space per bantam. That’s what’s recommended for standards, but I personally think that’s way to small. Really, as much space as you have, or whatever seems visually correct Is my rule of thumb. The recommended space seems way to small.

10 feet of space...not in the coop, surely? That must be for the run??? Its, I thought, 4-5 feet in the coop and 10 in the run....I was hoping it would be a bit less for the bantams, as they are smaller...regardless, Im positive I have room for 2 because I had room for two regular sized hens...at least by the math and not chicken math It seemed like plenty of room for them in both the coop and the run (the 5 that I had) Having said that, I don't have much reference other than one friend who's coop/run is smaller than mine and she has 6...but they look crowded to me (again, based on...nothing?...cuz I've never seen other coops!) I won't do anything without a bit more research. I appreciate your thoughts! Thanks!