Two chickens vs. 3

[DeeAnn5]

Greetings. We have 1 Rhode Island Red, Legs and 1 Americauna hen, Lips in our city chicken tractor. Our chickens are free range. I tried adopting, and slowly introducing, a few very tame and calm retired Buff Orps last year as pets from a sanctuary, but it didn't go well. Legs was wonderful but Lips hated the old girls and picked on them. Also the Buffs had some medical issues and my husband rightly determined that their daily care was taking too much of my time. (I held them and loved them.) They were not thriving at all in the new environment and I had to give them back. (The good news is they are doing great back at their home.)

So, he'd like to get 1 more young chicken. My husband has a question whether it is better to have 2 chickens or 3. I searched and reviewed some posts here and I understand space is an important issue, so we should be okay there. Other than space, are there any advantages or disadvantages to having 2 vs. 3 chickens? I sure would like to have 1 Buff Orp to hold when I come home from work.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

2 for you is good since you wouldn't have to go through the hassle of introducing a new bird, but if one dies, you are stuck with a very lonely bird, and will be searching for a new one.

3 is good, since you will be ok if one dies. also, you would get more eggs if that's what your wanting

I would personally have 3, but it is all depending on what you personally want and think you can handle. Also, if you have room, it would be recommended to get 2 birds. a single new one could get bullied by the original two, who might gang up on her.

Also, a quick tip on bird behavior, and you may already know this, but here it is. Chickens have a pecking order in every flock. It starts with the top dog (ah-hem, hen). She can peck every hen in the flock, and nobody can peck her. She would be the queen. The next chicken can peck everyone in the flock except the queen (who is the only one who can peck her). This thing continues until you come to the last chicken. She gets pecked by every bird in flock, but can't peck anyone else. I've noticed in large flocks, the last chicken usually doesn't lay very well, which i find interesting. In small flocks (under 15 birds) they usually lay fine in my personal experience.

When you bring new birds home, you are messing the whole pecking order up, and they all have to figure it out again. Expect there to be pecking and fighting for the first couple weeks. After that things should start smoothing out. I only separate birds if they are bloodied or seriously getting feathers pulled out. Things will get better after those weeks

 

[DeeAnn5]

Oh this is excellent information! Thank you so much for taking the time to give a response to this. You explained it very well - stuff I kind of understand but just needed it to be spelled out exactly as you did. I read your post to my husband, How exciting! We would love to have 2 more and then maybe eggs to share. We also compost their waste and use it in the garden. We have 2 compost barrels that can be rolled to turn it.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

Oh this is excellent information! Thank you so much for taking the time to give a response to this. You explained it very well - stuff I kind of understand but just needed it to be spelled out exactly as you did. I read your post to my husband, How exciting! We would love to have 2 more and then maybe eggs to share. We also compost their waste and use it in the garden. We have 2 compost barrels that can be rolled to turn it.

Good! I'm glad it helped...its cool to hear this response! eggs that come from you own chickens taste so much better!! Their waste is perfect for compost. I have so many chickens that i compost it than have to give most of it away...it helps others and me, since i need somewhere to take it So you just roll the barrels? that's pretty cool...like a cheap compost turner that they sell.

well, glad it helps!! If you have any other questions i can try to answer Good luck with the birds!!

 

[DeeAnn5]

Thank you CityFarmer! You are awesome!

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

Thank you CityFarmer! You are awesome!

your welcome! lol, that's me