New to chickens? how many are you starting with?

[Illia]

I started over a year ago with 48 assorted rare breeds from Murray McMurray, which sadly dwindled to 9. From there, it went on a VERY fast train of learning, switching to breeders, and getting "the real stuff." Now my chicken pop has gone back up to 41 at this very minute, but it is increasing with each hour. (I have eggs hatching.

)

 

[DaveD]

I'm waiting on my first set of 6 from MPC: 2 EE, 2 Barred Rocks and 2 Speckled Sussex

-David

 

[SaltyMomma]

I'm also completely new to chickens and am starting with eight hens. They are due to arrive mid-May from MPC and I can't wait!

I'm getting 2 Australorps, 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 2 Easter Eggers, and 2 Red Stars. I think we will most likely keep the numbers to about eight, but from everything I've been reading chickens are very addicting so you never know!

 

[Ozark Chicken]

I just wanted some eggs. I got 4 sex links, coons got 4 sex links. So I got 6 RIR and 6 sex links, coons got 4 sex links. So now I have 8 hens average 5 or 6 eggs a day. I want a dozen a day ( deep rooted psychological problem LOL) so I ordered 50 golden sex link pullets and got 25 free straight run golden laced wyanndottes. Soooo now my wife and I are building a much larger and more secure coop. Meantime I have 75 chicks in a brooder in the attached to the house shop. O my what have I done. The funny part is I grew up on a commercial broiler farm and we literally raised 50 thousand chickens at one time. You'd think I would have had enough

 

[Nuzzy]

Quote:
I've been in full research mode the last few weeks on this forum and can certainly agree! Thanks largely to the info here, all our chicks seem healthy and happy thus far. Especially looking forward to next weekend when I'm building the coop, again largely based on ideas and good info from BYC.

 

[Southpaw970]

We started with 6 straight run chicks last year which all ended up being hens. Then we took in a rescue EE hen and rooster. Last Tuesday I put 8 eggs in a homemade incubator to see if we could really hatch any chicks (my son has been begging for a year for us to try to hatch some eggs.) Hubby didn't want to wait for eggs to hatch, because Tractor Supply would be out of chicks by the time we know if our bator experiment actually works... So when Tractor Supply finally got their chicks in Friday, we hurried over there and bought 6 more.

Total chicken count right now is 14 + 8 eggs in the bator.

Tonight DH says "Let's try not to get too many chickens. I don't want it to become more work than fun."...umm I was the one who said "No chickens!" last year.

(Now I'm hooked.)

 

[trunkman]

Welcome to BYC Saltymomma

Get ready for the obsession to kick in! I'll bet you won't be able to wait till May!!

 

[trunkman]

WOW Ozark, and I thought I was hooked!!

 

[BriteChicken]

I already know I'm going to have to be tough on myself I'm a soft heart and was planning on only getting 4 but when I ordered it turned to 6 but now that I know there's a 20% mortality rate I'm thinking of getting a few spares but I only have a coop for 6 so what if they don't die?

I'm going to try and stick to 6 Lol! we'll see...

EDIT: One week and counting!!! ; P

 

[trunkman]

BriteChicken, looks like coop number 2 is coming!!