Normal Flock Size?

[song of joy]

Flock size will depend on the answer(s) to this question: "Why do I want chickens?" If the answer is: "I want eggs for a family of 4" then a flock of 6 pullets would fulfill your needs. This size flock would also require less work, food, water, coop space, etc than a larger flock, AND still give you great entertainment.

 

[shmccarthy]

I started off with 10 chickens. 5 were bantam and 5 were large fowl. The bantam were straight run and ended up being 4 roosters and 1 hen. I gave away all but one of the roosters of the bantams. The large fowl were supposed to be all pullets but one ended up being an oops rooster. The last bantam got sick during the winter and unfortunately didn't make it. I had the 1 rooster and 5 hens for a while but he was very loving and needed more hens. I somehow ended up with about 35 chickens, last year. Most were hens. I had 2 coops and free ranged until a fox came and got some hens. I then had to supervise them or keep them locked up. Most were hens, and 2 were roosters. I also had a bantam flock with 3 roosters and 7 hens. I now have 3 coops, 0 roosters and 0 hens. I sold all of them to make room for my biddies. I have plans for a flock of mixed color silkies and a flock of buff and black true Ameraucaunas.

It can easily change, and the numbers depend on a lot of circumstances such as how many you're willing to house, how much room you have, how much you're willing to spend on feed/care/medical supplies, and you have to factor in "oops" roosters that you may get and what you'll do with them. Also take into account if you can free range them, an the predators you will surely attract. You have to absolutely make sure all your chooks are safe, and they do tend to attract a lot of attention from the animal variety..
You'll also have to think about what you'll do with all the eggs. My family would go through 1-2 dozen a week, and we were getting 17-20 eggs a day some days. We had to get a separate fridge to store them in, and most ended up getting sold of hatched.

ETA: I have 17 babies in the brooder, 15 coming in April and another 25 coming between march and April. now all I have to do is not go to tractor supply until chick days are over...

 

[pattersonb39]

I have free-range and coop Chickens. Start with whatever you are comfortable and go from there. I started out with 10 and that was fine for a start.

 

[bantambury]

It all depends on YOU do you want a lot of eggs for eating and hatchin? Do you have a big coop? How much area for bugs feed gets a little expensive?! I have 14 and my bill is 20/40 a month and do you plan to hatch chicks their feed adds up?!




I filled that water all the way water was poring out the top! Yesterday


I filled this feeder up yesterday full too!


I filled this one half and that was all my feed

Also put a bin or box under feeder it saves feed from poo and getting wet and pee

5 gallons and a little more!

great idea for the roosts! never thought of using a gate!

 

[bantambury]

I have 5 young adults, 2 roosters and 3 hens. 3 hens is clearly not enough considering the roos don't lay. I hatched 12 new birds in new years; 5 roos and 7 hens. now with 10 hens I think I have a great amount. now I will have 7 roosters, and selling 3 of them later on.

 

[BasqueLover]

when i started i had 3. well, i was really little so i couldn't handle to many. But now we are over run with chickens

 

[McCoysOrps]

great idea for the roosts! never thought of using a gate!

Thanks I saw that one and was like dad what's that for he said the cows broke it I said oh I'm can I have it he said yeah sure lol reuse

 

[bantambury]

when i started i had 3. well, i was really little so i couldn't handle to many. But now we are over run with chickens

same with me! AND I love your profile picture! is that your dog?!?!??! how do you get video things as pictures?!??!?!

 

[bantambury]

Thanks I saw that one and was like dad what's that for he said the cows broke it I said oh I'm can I have it he said yeah sure lol reuse

THATS GREAT! my neighbor had one im sure he would let me use.....just my coop aint that big for it. LOL I have 2 small-medium standard coops split between 17 chickens.

LOL cows broke it. plain and simple.

 

[CindyMichelle3]

We started with 4 standard chicks last year, got 6 silkies (more as pets) in Sept, 3 ended up being roos so we are at 7 total now. As much as I want some EE's I know I should wait.

If I add a few hens every year, I won't be stressed about having space for new chicks when the oldest girls egg production slows. I want their ages to vary so the number of eggs we get is relatively consistent.