New to chickens? how many are you starting with?

[HorseFeathers]

We started three years ago with five (it was supposed to be six). We lived in the 'burbs so we kept it at a low number, never more than nine. Now we have eight and are getting six more chicks this spring!

The woman I work for, Jennifer, is getting her first chicks this spring and she's getting six due to a state law.

But here's the thing: Never ever have less than three chickens. Chickens are social animals, and their health deteriorates sometimes to the point of death if left alone. If you have only two chickens and one dies, there will be one sad, possibly dead chicken on your hands. With three, if one dies the other two have each other.

 

[rebecky1305]

Intended on starting with 3-4, but after three trips to the farm supply store, ended up with 7 chicks and have2 ducklings on order.

have to stop going to the store

 

[roverjohn]

I'm starting with 6( 3 each Golden Comet and Amber link from TSC) but I think I'll look for some BR's this weekend just for the variety, right?

 

[bock]

Many years ago I started with 3 chicks[as pets], but now I have 10.

 

[chickencoop13]

15 chicks

 

[luvzmychickens]

i started out with six (tryin to convince the parents that 12 is a better number

) and now there 2 months away from bein 1 yr. my how time fly's!!!!!!!

 

[that_crazy_lady]

Well.... we had chickens befor, but jumped in with out knowing anything. long story short we gave them away.

Now a few years down the road I know a whole more {still much to learn} thanks to the BYC. Last year I said something about getting chickens and my family brings home 8 chicks, and I got a mixed breed hen from a kid I know. Out of the 8 there are 4 RIR girls, 2 Delaware girls, and 2 Delaware roos. I was just going to have them for eggs. Now I've got that breeding bug, 10 more chicks, and plans to add 20-30 more

my mom has started calling me a crazy chicken lady

 

[nlove_3000]

I started by picking up 14 - 2 Barred Rock, 2 Buff Orpington, 2 Buff Bantam, 2 Golden Comet, 2 Gold Laced Wyandotte, and 4 Easter Egger. I figured I wanted a variety this year so I could find my favorite

Then I went to the Feed store and they had bantams so I got 3 silkies and a mystery chick.

Husband said that was his limit, but then mystery chick died and feed store in town was out, so I had to go to another feed store in a bigger city.....and came home with 4 - 1 Leghorn, 1 Speckled Sussex, 1 Buff Polish, and one White Crested Black Polish.

So that's 21 living....

NOW - before i picked up any of these chicks I placed an order at the feed store due today for 10 chicks....they owe me one bc of the bantam dying....do I pick up one? or all 10? Hmmmm....

 

[triggfamily5]

We started in 2006 when someone gave us about 12 heavy adult hens, 2 standard roosters, and too many bantams to count. Quick, hurry throw together a coop... (Looking back, I think this flock was OLD)

March 2007, get some chicks from the feed store (16) and then culled the adults and chicks in the fall. Down to a bunch of mutt bantams, 2 beautiful 1 feather footed bantams, and about 15 hens. Since then we lost all but the feather footed bantam (one is a mean rooster, one is a hen) to the cold, predators and old age. We have about 10 hens and 1 rooster.

Plan on building a bigger coop this year (12x16, part storage,brooder) and was going to get 15 or so pullets to increase our eggs, they are dwindling. We researched and picked what breeds we wanted. Stopped by the Mercantile, and came home with 16 "pullets" (only 3 was a breed I wanted). 3 days later, came home with another 10 "straight run" from the local feed store (don't know there breeds, but probably not what I wanted) (lost 2), so I ordered another 10 (plus a free one) "straight-run" from healthychicksandmore.com 2 days ago and picked the breeds I wanted.

Let's see what I end up with at the end of the year.. currently 24 chicks in brooder (almost lost them last night, daughter didn't close the porch door all the way and we found an outside cat in the brooder), 11 on the way, and about 12 adults already. Hope to increase next year with my own hatches

Edited: Forgot the geese that was given to us in 2008 - someone gave my DH 12 adult domesitc geese, he came home with 21

I think his dyslexia kicked in. They had babies that spring - up to 28. Was trying to give some away when the pack of 4 dogs (out of 6) escaped the yard and knocked the flock down to 10

Only had 2 hatch last year. Never got around to culling the babies for supper (couldn't when only 2 hatched out of 3 laying geese). So now we have 12 geese also... Really need to figure out who the females and males are and cull down and change the blood line. Have 3 sitting right now on who knows how many eggs.. (Let's not count there is at least one more female, we just cleaned out a nest with over 40 eggs hiding in it.)

MIL (same yard) wants ducks, but FIL won't allow it... almost came home with ducks and geese too, but she restrained herself

What do you do with over 400 chickens (referring to previous post)??????

 

[SkyWarrior]

14 chicks, 2 geese and 2 turkeys.

There you go.