Too many chickens?

[Skye727]

I have backyard chicken yard with three coops and a run for the silkies and Cochins. I have 7 big hens, two little Roos, 3 ducks and in my fancy run I have 6 bantams. I live in town with only one neighbor next to me that likes my chickens. Is this too big of a flock for a backyard? They have enough room and free range. Anyone else have this many? I want to downsize but I love them all. There is no limit in the ordinance. Just says they have to be sanitary and can't get any noise complaints. They are clean and quiet. Well the ducks can be loud, lol.

 

[chickenlover09]

Since you live in a resedential area, your flock seems a bit large.

Where I live, you can have chicks, as long as they aren't too noisy, and they have to be at least 25 feet from your house and 100 from a neighbors house.

In order to have a rooster, it has to be 100 feet from your house, and 200 from your neighbors.

Are roosters legal where you live?


I'd say, as long as your chicks have lots of room to run and play, and are not overcrowded, then I would keep them all.

My chickens are my pets, not my egg machines or meat machines, and I would be so sad if I had to give one of my babies to a farmer!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I have 16 guineas, 6 turkeys, 20-something Silkies, 2 Cochins, 3 Japanese bantams, a couple of small feed store bantams that I have no idea of their breed and a mixed breed layer flock that's probably at about 30 now (I may not be the best person to answer this question ). I do live on a 48 acre farm though. However, before we moved here, I live on a 3 acre lot in a subdivision. I had a neighbor on one side and an empty lot on the other. The highest I got there was 80 or so birds.

If you can afford to feed them and they have ample space, you don't have too many chickens

 

[Skye727]

We are surrounded by farm land. We happen to live downtown though. But the chicken law is very lax. I love all my babies! I only get a few eggs a day. They are mostly pets.

 

[chickenlover09]

I would keep them all then! I live in a suburban area, not even 1 acre, by the ocean and I have 6 chickens (planning on adding a few more, maybe some geese, and soon a peacock).

No point in getting rid of them, you can even add a few more!!!!!

 

[Mahlzeit]

Doesn't sound like you have to many to me.

 

[Skye727]

Thanks for all the input! I love my chickens! They make me happy! They come running as fast as they can to the back door as soon as I open it. Love to see them running for me!

 

[jtn42248]

I don't see anything in this thread that indicates any of you have too many chickens. What is too many chickens anyway? Where I live, Coleman, TX, the ordinance allows pretty much anything except pigs or a mess in the city limits. People violate the mess part all the time. I live 13 miles out in the country though and so far I only have 62 various chickens, bantams, ducks and geese. I say so far because I have purchased an incubator and still have plenty of room. Oh, and I have 7 dogs ranging from a Pomeranian to an Anatolian.