Cackle will do small orders also, as small as 5. Those are listed in the back of their catalog.
I have no idea how many I started with the first time I had my own chickens, it was 40 years or so ago, and I've had hundreds since, so I really couldn't say how many is a good number to start with. Whenever I start a brand new flock, I usually start with 15-25 of one breed. But that's just me, I don't like having separate housing and so forth to keep them 'pure'. I do have some mixed breeds now because I just wasn't as happy with the Buff Orpingtons as I thought I would be, so I traded some with a friend and gave a few away. I have a few eggs from those mixes hatching in my incubator right now.
I have no idea how many I started with the first time I had my own chickens, it was 40 years or so ago, and I've had hundreds since, so I really couldn't say how many is a good number to start with. Whenever I start a brand new flock, I usually start with 15-25 of one breed. But that's just me, I don't like having separate housing and so forth to keep them 'pure'. I do have some mixed breeds now because I just wasn't as happy with the Buff Orpingtons as I thought I would be, so I traded some with a friend and gave a few away. I have a few eggs from those mixes hatching in my incubator right now.
