Newbie Q : flock of 2?

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Haha, somehow I missed your next posts, already upping your chicken count, I see. You'll fit right in on BYC.

Of course, it all depends on management (just like any other animals), but if you're diligent about keeping your coop relatively tidy and supply your run with proper drainage, you'll have no noticeable smell. I lived in the city for a year with 3 hens, neighbors on all sides, and it wasn't until I moved out and was moving the coop out when my neighbors on the left first even noticed I had chickens. They literally lived maybe 50 feet away from my coop. Hens do make noise, but far, far, far less than a regularly barking dog would.

Good luck and have fun! Keep us updated on your progress!

 

[patandchickens]

3-6 is a good number to start with. They'll be enough to feel like a (little) flock, and if you lose one for some reason it won't be a social emergency, and you will have a reasonable number of eggs without being too severely deluged with them

If you are not restricted by zoning laws to just X few chickens, I would suggest building as large a coop/run as you can possibly manage right now. If you don't "pack it full" of chickens, you will have extra-happy chickens; but it does leave room for flock expansion in future (coops are usually hard and somewhat extra costly to add onto, and runs are a real *nuisance* to try to enlarge). Worst comes to worst, you end up with a really nice storage shed or potting-shed

How much work 3-6 hens are depends on how you set things up. You can set things up so they are a lot of work. Or you can set things up so it takes about two minutes a day, literally. 'Sup to you

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Mrs. K]

I really think the smell is minimal with a few birds. You start getting a large flock - over 100, then you are going to be having a lot of manure created, and that will have disposal problems.

Explore the deep method, and when you are building, put in a poop board, under the roost, and really it will take very little maintanence to keep your birds clean and smell free. Do give the girls sufficent room, as crowding does cause problems, and intensifies the manure.

MrsK

 

[Morgan7782]

I currently have two 12 week old girls, and it's just been the two of them since about 4 weeks. I only wanted two hens, I didn't have a coop big enough for any more then that. My coop is 2 x 4 feet = fits only two standard hens. But it worked for what I wanted, and the two girls are great. I am using the deep litter method, and have not smelled chicken poop, even when I am leaning into the coop. I use pine shavings, and gum tree wood chips in the run. I also planted jasmine along two parts of the run fencing just in case of smell. But I haven't needed the jasmine, though it adds a nice smell to the air! No bad scent that I can tell.

Feeding is pretty small with 2 birds, I go through 25 lbs of feed about three weeks or a month. They are very bonded as well.

ONLY problem.. I now want more. Don't have a big enough coop, or didn't until recently. Once I heard I was able to get a bigger coop, I started planning to get 4 more, and pick the 1-2 friendliest. New coop is 15 square feet I believe, and I can use the old smaller coop as an integrating coop, or in case I get a broody

If I didn't have a bigger coop, I could live with 2 hens I am sure, but I am excited to get even 1 or 2 more. I am keeping my numbers fairly small though because I live in a heavily urban area.

 

[noodleroo]

You might check out chicken tractors also; little moveable coops. They are usually good for 3 or 4 chickens and you can move them to new areas so your chickens can explore the grass and dirt for more bugs and weed seeds. That way they don't descimate one area of your yard.

 

[chuckzoo]

Quote:
I started off with two hens, but trust me you should have a minimum of 3! My one hen cackles while the other one is laying because she is by herself. I ended up getting another two with the same idea - keeping the quietest friendlist 3, but it is hard to give up one of them although I will probably have to as I live in a subdivision and I don't want complaints.

They are more pleasure than work. I clean the dropping out of the coop each morning, feed and water them and they get vegetable trimming over ripe fruit etc in exchange for wonderful fresh eggs. It's a win win situation.

 

[Morgan7782]

I also wanted to make sure in case something happens I will have more then 1 left. That was the biggest pursuasion in getting more!

PLUS cheap therapy. You will be surprised how much you grow to love them and enjoy their many antics lol!!