What's your "Dream Flock"? How many chickens is the perfect amount for you? What breeds do you adore?

[Scotlin]

I ask this because I'm growing my flock this year, not merely recouping lost numbers. (We had an issue with predators that caused me to lose over half my flock of 11 last year.) We are in the process of building a bigger, better enclosure with a large shed-type coop that I can easily walk in and clean with a large run. That being said, I've calculated the run and coop can accommodate comfortably about 28 chickens.

Mind you, I'm not aiming for the max number as I like plenty of space and I'm sure my chickens do too. But I was thinking of adding a few more. I'm currently at 15 chickens counting the new batch of chicks that just came in from the hatchery a couple of days ago. So, as I sit here and dream about what sort of breeds I'd like to incorporate into my flock... I'd love to hear about your "dream flock."

My current flock is a mix of Dominicker (Rooster!), Cornish, Black Sexlink, and my new chicks are Easter Eggers. I'd love roughly 20 chickens. If I could find one locally I'd totally snag a Sapphire Olive Egger. I'm keeping a close eye on my local stores and breeders to see what chicks are available, so I can snag breeds on my watch list.

I also lost the majority of my chickens last month to a coyote attack. I have 4 left from that incident. My friend incubated some eggs and we got 4 new chicks from that. They are three days old and yesterday I purchased 6 more of the same age. I got three black Marans, two blue laced barnevelder and a Welsummer. I have had several flocks over the years but this is the first time for these breeds. Excited to see them grow up. This will bring my flock (after the coyote attack) up to 13. I will have to wait and see what the incubator eggs turn out to be when they grow a little. It would be 14, but it looks like one of the incubator babies is not going to live. His legs are splayed and he cannot stand up.

 

[Cait Jones]

I love frizzle chickens and polish chickens. That may not be the best egg layers, but I absolutely love them

 

[ravensnow]

I love this thread.

My real flock is capped to 8 hens by my local laws, but my dream flock would be 2-3 of each of the following breeds, ideally max size of near 15 hens:
Ameraucanas, BBS or Lavender (blue eggs)
Favaucanas, BBS (green eggs)
Hollands, Barred (white eggs)
Orpingtons, Lavender (light brown eggs)
Orpingtons, Silver Laced (light brown eggs)
Russian Orloffs, Mottled (light brown eggs)

I live somewhere really muddy that prohibits roosters, but I'd love to have Brahmas hens and a Svart Hona rooster if we're just dreaming. My boyfriend really loves bantams, so he'd want some bantam Cochins, bantam Wyandottes, and a Japanese rooster.

 

[timmysparky]

Don't forget a few silkies. Just because they are so awesome!

 

[ColoradoPip]

My dream flock, wow. Well I would have 1000s of chickens, many many, many breeds. Pheasants, ducks, quail too!

 

[preciouspanda]

I have bout 60 chicken and 10 waterfowl. I have mixture frizzles silkies polish brahmas Rhode Island reds, blues and whites. Also have a Rhode Island Red Brahma bantam mixed rooster I hatched with few different orphingtons,Easter Eggers and barred rocks I have had up over 100 birds at a time

 

[KhalSancho]

Currently I have Araucanas and Black Copper Marans.. but my potential future chooks are as follows and in order:

•A better Black, Silver Partridge & Speckled Araucana [a breeder friend had an accident and one of the “speckled” F1s came out amazing.. I’m in line for next season if she can work it out]
(For my goals and project)

•Silkie- 1/2 hens
(Incubators)

•Salmon Faverolle- 1/pair
(Pinkish eggs, endangered & cute)

•Laced Barnevelder or Wyandotte- 1
(Beauty..period)

•Cream Legbar- 1
(Possibility of nicer blue eggs, quality is tough to find here)

•Appenzeller- 1
(Funny black and white mohawks)

•Australorp 1
(Production)

•Plym. Rock, Dominique or cuckoo ‘cana 1
(Barring is my partners thing lol)

(Will make my own Olive Eggers from my BCM and Araucanas.. also, this is going off of what’s available in Australia... if I was still in the states a black on black pair of Cemanis would be atop the list! We’re also definitely getting quail and a pair of Cayuga ducks but that’s another story )

 

[Kabootar]

Oh I really like to keep breeds that can hold their ground, breeds that go broody once in a while, reliable layers, breeds that can free range and breeds that make good capons. It's hard to find a breed with all of these qualities so I keep a mix. I absolutely love breeds like Aseels, Rhode Island Reds, Sussex, Cornish, Dorking, brown leghorn etc. Aseels are by far my favorite.

 

[DanEP]

I'll be replacing the old girls this year and have just picked out the new girls. The old ones are going to a retirement home with a lady that keeps maybe a hundred chickens around.

1 5 comets great layers and friendly

2 3 buff Orpingtons ok layers can go broody and calm

3 3 leghorns great layers and crazy but can be friendly

4 3 easter eggers green eggs for the grand kids

5 5 White rocks with one being a roo good layers and can replenish my flock if need

Since i'm retired I don't need a lot of eggs anymore, not selling like I used to. 18 seems to be my sweet spot. I get all the eggs I need and sell a few to help pay for feed.