What the flock? 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Melly-Mae]

I have 15 and live in town. I think I have small flock(would have a lot more in country). My one neighbor thought 15 was a large amount to have (until he got free eggs).

I can see where living in town, that would seem like a big flock. Lol but those delicious fresh laid eggs sure make a difference! Man I can't wait till my girls start finally laying. Should be any day now!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The typical urban/suburban "city flock" of 6 birds +/-, all hens (typically, and typically all different breeds) is a hobby flock, or perhaps a vanity flock. Or simply pets. Even so, that's often all the municipality will allow, and no disrespect is intended to those chicken keepers. Glad they can do it, it has benefits for the rest of us.

Small is anything between that and a score of birds - the size where you can reasonably talk about "production" of eggs in quantities useful to a family, rather than an individual/couple.

I have what I consider to be a middlin' to moderate sized flock (in the sig below). As soon as you are buying feed 500# at a time, you are there. I incubate 12 eggs every three weeks, take 1-2 birds each week for table to maintain numbers, produce enough eggs for incubation, my own use, and to sell in quantity that puts me break even (on a good month) for feed costs.

If you are buying feed a ton at a time? Or seriously considering trying to grow your own on acres? That's a large flock. We have a few posters like that, I learn from their comments most eagerly.

***and my views on the subject are probably atypical.

 

[Melly-Mae]

The typical urban/suburban "city flock" of 6 birds +/-, all hens (typically, and typically all different breeds) is a hobby flock, or perhaps a vanity flock. Or simply pets. Even so, that's often all the municipality will allow, and no disrespect is intended to those chicken keepers. Glad they can do it, it has benefits for the rest of us.

Small is anything between that and a score of birds - the size where you can reasonably talk about "production" of eggs in quantities useful to a family, rather than an individual/couple.

I have what I consider to be a middlin' to moderate sized flock (in the sig below). As soon as you are buying feed 500# at a time, you are there. I incubate 12 eggs every three weeks, take 1-2 birds each week for table to maintain numbers, produce enough eggs for incubation, my own use, and to sell in quantity that puts me break even (on a good month) for feed costs.

If you are buying feed a ton at a time? Or seriously considering trying to grow your own on acres? That's a large flock. We have a few posters like that, I learn from their comments most eagerly.

***and my views on the subject are probably atypical.

I would love to see pics of what a healthy flock that size looks like!

 

[Brooks_]

Small is anything between that and a score of birds

One score = a small flock? I can live with that. lol

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I would love to see pics of what a healthy flock that size looks like!

I can't fit them all in one photo.

Here's 1/3 of them, a photo I took 3 weeks ago.

23 birds, including all three of my breeder Roos, no ducks, no goats.

 

[Melly-Mae]

I can't fit them all in one photo.

Here's 1/3 of them, a photo I took 3 weeks ago.
View attachment 2833662

23 birds, including all three of my breeder Roos, no ducks, no goats.

I love it! They all look so happy and healthy!!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I love it! They all look so happy and healthy!!

and Tasty !!!

 

[Melly-Mae]

and Tasty !!!

I hear you there!

 

[B-Goock]

My flocks vary quite a bit due to the tasty portion of raising chickens.
Right now I'm down to about 16 laying hens. (Was about 25ish)
8 black penedesencas just because I like the breed. (Was about 25)
30 cornish crosses but those flocks only last about 10 weeks but some still reside in the freezer.
And I've got about 20 quail..... in the freezer. (Was about 40)

So I vary from about 20-100ish birds each year.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I'd say it's all a matter of perspective. I live on 14 acres in the country, have approximately 70-80 birds at the moment (including about 45 layers, the rest are roosters, chicks, pullets, cockerels...) and I consider ours a medium-to-large size flock. Inside any city limits, they would be a huge flock. If I were in the business for egg production to make money, this flock is tiny and not worth the trouble. We do sell eggs of course, but it's just enough to cover the costs of feed and equipment. When they're in full production in mild weather, we get about 3 dozen eggs a day. Currently all of the mature birds are in full molt and we're getting maybe 14-18 eggs a day.