Looking for experiences from SMALL flock owners - 4 or less hens?

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

I've been reading BYC like a maniac since we're getting our first chicks in 2 weeks. I haven't run across too many small-flock people on here... many of the posters seem to be happy chicken addicts and have a LOT of chickens! I wish I could go down that path, but we have to keep it very small in our neighborhood.

So I guess I'm just looking for others who have small flocks. We're getting three hens and they'll be for eggs/pets. We can't do roosters or any of that...

So are there any small flock owners out there who have to keep it small and cannot expand because of HOA rules or city laws??? I'd love to hear from you!!

 

[Brelansmama]

We got our first 3 chicks last week, I want to get 1 or 2 more (Buff Orps)
I don't want more than 4 or 5 total, as our coop is a converted dog house, and can't fit any more than that.

We mostly want the flock as pets, but the fresh eggs won't hurt our feelings!

 

[Chauntecleer's Keeper]

We have 4 hens and a rooster (Chauntecleer). I will expand this year though. Make your coop easy to clean out. Make the set up easy for you, the chickens wont care. Have fun. I keep my feed in a metal trash can too.

 

[CityClucks]

I had three pullets in my last flock - predators got all but one, and I rehomed the remaining lonely survivor. I'm starting another small flock this year, but I'm starting out with a few more than I think I'll end up with just in case. You'll love your clucks!

 

[Robin'sBrood]

I have 3 hens and 1 roo that I've had since last May. They're great! I'm seriously considering adding 2 more pullets to my little flock, but that will be as high as I would want to go with the current set up I have for them.
Unless... I separate the 2 banties from the 2 standards, then add 2 more standards and 2 more banties to each little flock... hmmm, a couple of Silkies to go with the d'Uccles and a couple of Buff Orps to go with the Australorp and SLW, perhaps?

 

[Imp]

My limit is 5. Right now I have 4 hens, no roos. I don't think I'd want to go much higher. I work too much as it is.

Do you have questions?

Imp

 

[chookchick]

I think the bylaws and HOA rules are just suggestions..

I was going to only have 3 also, but I kept seeing all these cool chickens and cool eggs...It is difficult being on BYC, because all these people are the worst enablers for chicken addiction!

 

[RavenStorm]

I started out with 6 chickens, but lost one to Marek's. Then I got 2 ducks, and until I move out of the suburbs (hopefully sometime this year!) I can't get any more. My DBF though wants us to eventually get 52+ chickens so that we have at least one for a Sunday dinner type arrangement for every week of the year. I also want to add a more ducks, a few geese, and two or three turkeys once we have a big enough property but for now I'm still a small flock owner.

 

[JennsPeeps]

I live on a small suburban lot. We got 3 chicks in May 2008 and added a banty cochin in July. The big girls started laying in Nov & Dec. I now get 2-3 eggs/day. We can keep up when 2 are laying, but not 3. That extra layer makes a big difference!

The banty has never laid an egg. We're still waiting... and waiting... and waiting... and waiting... and waiting.

We did just get 2 chicks last week. I should have... but I wanted more!

Oh, and I'm getting 2 more in April. I can't help myself. I don't really have room for them, but am getting them anyway!

 

[GardeNerd]

I have 6 pullets right now, but I am a new chicken owner, too. We live in an urban neighborhood on a 6200 sq ft lot. I had told my husband I wanted 4. I have the 6 for the issues mentioned about predators and disease, just in case. I don't want less than 4 to keep up with the family demand for eggs, so 2 seemed like a good insurance policy.

I get lots of weird looks from folks that don't know me well, when they find out from the kids that we have chickens. The folks that do know me, wondered why I never got them sooner.

I could not settle on a breed, so we decided to try a variety and also make it easy on the kids to tell them apart. 1 Easter Egger, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Barred Rock, 2 Black Austrlorp, and one Science Project hatching of a Hy Line W-36 (looks like a leghorn, acts like an Orpington)
These were breeds that I kept seeing come up in the threads as being the best city breeds of hens.

My neighbor liked them so well, she now has 5. There are folks I know in other towns that keep chickens even with city ordinances preventing it. They just do it on the sly and don't have too many.

Edited because my spelling stinks.