Question on chicken math with chicks!

[Seatrout00]

OK - here are the basics. I will be getting baby chicks next month - my first ever chickens. My coop will be 4 foot by 8 foot once we finish it - posting a photo of its design too, with the coop being 4 feet by 4 feet.



The chickens will free range during the day in my side yard - approximately 30 feet by 80 feet.

I originally figured on having four hens as that is the regulations for my county, however my city allows more - its actually not got a hen limit on land, they just said it can't be ridiculous.

I read that sexing baby chicks is only 90% accurate and then read to expect 20% death when purchasing baby chicks - thus I thought I should probably get a few more chicks to make sure I end up with at least four healthy hens because I don't want to deal with the stress of getting more chickens later on if a few of my babies don't make it. I don't want to try to introduce any more chickens into my flock, once its established.

My question is thus - is my chicken math logical? Are these real statistics? What if I ended up with five hens, or six? Could this small coop accommodate that many hens? Am I going over board getting six chicks? I don't mind culling later on if need be (or giving away) but I really don't want to end up with two surviving hens and then have to deal with the stress of introducing new chickens to the flock and everyone being mean or getting beat up.

Help me, Chicken Jedi, you're my only hope!

 

[azygous]

Ignore chicken math, especially the stats you've read. You can be sure you are getting pullets and not cockerels if you study up on breeds and choose a breed that is accurately sexed at hatching, such as sex links which is 100% and some breeds which are pretty close.

As far as ordering more than you want because you're afraid a couple will die, don't. I managed to raise nine batches of chicks over the years and only had a death for the first time this summer. It happens far less than most people believe.

So order the four chicks you want, and don't get panicked into ordering more than you wish for the ideal size of your flock.

Also, while I'm here, consider brooding with the heating pad system right in your brand new coop. It's better for your chicks and better for you to raise them right in their own house, and the heating pad is much safer than a heat lamp. Read up on it on "Mama Heating Pad for the Brooder" right here on this forum.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I too have ordered many batches of chicks, they have always been sexed correctly, and very seldom do I lose one, it will usually be in the first few days from the stress of shipping. The worst thing you can do is crowd chickens, it leads to all sorts of evil.

 

[RooDen]

The size of your coop can accomodate 4 chickens comfortably and yes crowding thus lead to pecking and unwanted behaviour. Speaking of chicks dying, it has a very less probability especially with all the super feeds we have these days. So go ahead and get yourself some sexed chicks and have fun just watching them to doing their stuff.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If you are concerned that 4 chicks doesn't give you any wiggle room if something were to happen, get 12-15. Raise them to 8-10 weeks. By then, you should have a good handle on sex and personality. Keep 4 pullets and sell the extras. It's no more work to raise 15 instead of 4 and the coop is plenty big.

I actually find it a lot harder to manage 15, than 4, especially if you want to tame them down. Stick to 4 or 5 at most, plan to replace some after you lose 2, you never want to introduce a single bird to an established flock. If you get hooked you may want a bigger coop down the road, but not everyone gets hooked, stick to the present.

 

[GodofPecking]

Ah, well with those further details I'd suggest getting half a dozen silkies, fully grown hens. Kids love them, they lay but not quite as much, so the few extra will be handy, they go clucky and raise chicks 'at the drop of a hat' so you could get fertile eggs and put them under her for the kids to enjoy some chicks.

Thing is, that chicks take 6 months to grow, by which time half are roosters, so 12 chicks equates to 6 chooks plus 6 months waiting. In 6 months, it is too easy to find out who wants some of your chickens / half grown chickens, so by the time they are almost ready to lay you can sell, trade, or probably already have. Often 2 or 3 dozen chicks can equate to only the bare minimum you want and refuse to sell.

Chickens are easy to sell off or eat, but having 5 and wanting 6 is a whole different matter entirely. They have a pecking order and do not like a newcomer on their territory.

Having 6 or 12 or 24 and wanting the perfect 5 is less of a problem when you can sell or eat them but finding the perfect 5 it is better to just start with 5 egg laying hens which are all new to your coop and arrive not knowing who is boss and are a bit more gentle about working that out, then a home team and trespassers.

Silkies are just a suggestion, get a pure breed, not ISA Browns which are a disaster for kids just looking for a place to die, in my experience and my studies of the matter.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That is exactly what we want. Chicken pets that give us lots of eggs. As a single mom with medical disabilities living in a small house with a small yard .... a small flock is the only thing that makes sense, and we'd like to get to know our hens. I am leaning toward only purchasing five.

Personally I would stick to the 4 or 5. This way you don't have an overcrowding problem in your coop/run and days you can't free range. Your children will have only a few to get to know (chickens are fun & have personalities). Food and bedding costs will not cost as much $$.

It doesn't make any sense to me to purchase more than you want, then go through the hassle of having to try to sell/give away. This will just be more added stress trying to sell, determining who to keep, and then there is the what to do if you can't get rid of them.

 

[Percheron chick]

I would take RIR off the short list. They can be bullies in a mixed flock. You are also apt to get something else as hatcheries use the name recognition to market production reds, sex links or any miscellaneous red hen. No EEs? Green eggs are pretty much a requirement with kids.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I had to look them up

'cause I wasn't familiar with them either.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/isa-browns-chicken-breeds

 

[appps]

We had two isa Browns and an australorp years ago and they lived with zero problems for years. They were fantastic layers and amazing with the kids (insert image here of chicken tea parties lol). Sadly a fox got them but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone.