Normal Flock Size?

[Sofi]

might want to stagger getting 6 each spring for up to 3 springs or more. however, it depends on how many eggs you wish to have. its nice to try out different breeds, until you develop a preference for a breed. staggering years would help in the snese that whe. your first year chickens slow down laying you will be balanced with newer birds laying well.

That's what I'm doing! Got 6 hens and 5 chicks, all different except 3 EEs

 

[austinbndr28]

Last year I had about 10 through 15 hens and some roosters. I hatched out their eggs in my incubators and ended with over 150 birds at the end of the year. Now I'm back down to around 30 chickens and a couple ducks.

 

[rockmissjess]

Last year I had about 10 through 15 hens and some roosters. I hatched out their eggs in my incubators and ended with over 150 birds at the end of the year. Now I'm back down to around 30 chickens and a couple ducks.

*gulps* did u kill them all?

 

[austinbndr28]

*gulps* did u kill them all?

No. I sold them a little at a time.

 

[rockmissjess]

No. I sold them a little at a time.

*sighs with relief* oh okay good that makes me happy

 

[austinbndr28]

*sighs with relief* oh okay good that makes me happy

I had to make some money back that I spent on the feed and supplies.lol

 

[rockmissjess]

I had to make some money back that I spent on the feed and supplies.lol

im just happy u didnt kill them.. my husband is all for killing them and i understand people raise them... i perfer to buy mine from the store so i dont have to kill them myself.. lol i dont mind the eggs but i could never slaughter one myself.. i just .. i just couldnt

 

[jellobutt]

We started off with 4 hens as chicks. 2 black Ostralorps 2 Americanas. Then at the feed store he saw one chick that was just too cool looking, he ended up being a golden Campine. This was followed by 4 turkeys, 4 ducks, and 4 geese. We now have 12 turkeys, 20 chickens 4 ducks, 2 geese. I sell a dozen eggs a week to one of my boys teachers. We are letting the hens hatch babies. We send the males to freezer camp in the fall and i will put some of the new hens there as well. We are fighting with an egg eater too she will go when I figure out who it is. We eat what we raise, beef, pork, goat chicken. i don't know what an average flock might look like. I never expected for my husband to get so hooked on raising animals ( he was a city kid) but we love all our animals even the ines whom we eat. They live a good life and some avoid getting eaten, like our broad breasted white hen. Her "job is to make eggs for hens to hatch out, so we get more turkeys. Same goes with my geese, they make more. I have shown him and the kids how to care for compassionately every animal we have. They taste better than the ones at the store, because they were loved. I expect 20+ more chickens and at least 10 more turkeys.

I say have as many as you can care for an they will take care of you.

 

[FarmingCityGirl]

We planned on starting with about 5,and built our coop for that. When we went to buy them, they were buy 6 get 6 free. So we got 12. And had to start adding additions to the coop before we moved them out lol. 12 worked really well. It felt like too much a few times...but now I know it was just right for me. With this amount, I've had fresh eggs all winter too. With 5 chickens, I don't think I would have had enough.

 

[Chick-a-dow-dee]

I'm a newbie, and I started with 8; 3 Ameraucanas, one of which I think is a cockerel, and 5 Buff Opringtons, which are all pullets. They were/are brooded in my bedroom! I know, I know but I haven't lost a one and they're so darn cute. I do have a baby coop until they can go to the big coop. Those of you who raise them for meet, do you take them to a butcher, or butcher them yourselves? I'm just curious my birds are pets that make me breakfast.