To add a chicken or not too add a chicken?

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NothernChick

NothernChick

In the Brooder
6 Years
Jul 18, 2013
12
0
24
Waubaushene, Ontario, Canada
Hello! New to BYC. I've used this site so much since deciding to get a backyard flock I decided to finally join and pose some questions of my own.

I started off with 5 RTL hens in March (2 RIR, 1 Columbian Rock, 1 Barred Rock, 1 Black Sex Link). The heat and humidity has been unbearable this week and sadly the other day we lost our Black Sex Link hen
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The other 4 seem to be doing fine. I've got a fan on them and plenty of water and ice blocks in the run. Now I'm debating whether or not to replace her
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My uncle got a flock from the same hatchery (he got a rooster. I can't due to not being allowed chickens at all so a rooster would draw too much attention) and he has some chicks. My coop is 4x3 with 2 roosts and 2 nest boxes and the run is 4x10. I have some pictures posted. The food and water is kept outside so it doesn't take up coop space. I do let them out in the evenings for a bit weather permitting and on the weekends so they do get out. They seem to have plenty of room in the run. I would love to add 2 more hens but I can't decide if that will be too much
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I read about the 4 sq ft per bird "rule". Can someone give me their thoughts?
 
Thank you!! I had a feeling stick with 4 would be the answer I'd get. I wish I'd gone with a bigger coop
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I'm not entirely sure it was the heat but it's been over 40 with the humidex since Sunday. SUPER hot for around here. On Sunday I let them out. It was a little cooler and she went back into the coop and was in the corner, wings sticking out, beak open making an awful honking noise. I ran in to check BYC and dunked her feet in some cold water and used a turkey baster to get some water into her!! She perked up pretty quickly. The temperature keep rising and I came home Tuesday night and she was in her back.
She'd been kind of funny since the start. Off by herself and always apart from the rest. No one picked on her and she was bigger than the rest! Laid daily. Double yolks too! And then she started honking a bit. I check BYC and someone said they might do that if they're hot so I attributed it to that. Oh and she also came with her beak clipped REALLY short.
 

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