Is there significant difference in behavior in a flock of 3 hens vs 4 vs 5?

[saysfaa]

I'm getting chickens, probably Black Australorps from the feed store. I don't need more eggs than three will lay but I'm more interested in managing them and watching their behavior than being practical. I will find something to do with the extra so they don't go to waste.

I know herd dynamics in cattle are quite different for a herd of two or three vs more than that. Even 4 instead of 3 makes a big difference. Is it like that for chickens?

I have 60 or 70 sq feet of floor space (coop and run); possibly more if it makes enough difference.

 

[Chickensandhorsesforlife]

I have 17 in a 8x16 foot coop, with 100 square feet of run. they love their house and are very happy. I have observed that the more chickens, the more friend groups , and a looser pecking order

 

[azygous]

The basic principle is that the more individuals in a flock, the more individuals each individual must relate to. What this means is, there are more interactions required to establish the social order and individual ranks.

The overall consequences are that there will be more activity, more conflict resolution, and the potential for disruptions although most are mild and usually go unnoticed by the casual observer.

 

[aart]

I have 60 or 70 sq feet of floor space (coop and run); possibly more if it makes enough difference.

I harsh climates the coop and run are often considered separately.
Unless your run is fully predator and weather proof.
Can you post pics of your coop/run?

3 can be a touchy number...adding a couple-few more can help 'spread the love'.
But space is also very important.....and individual birds demeanor's is something to consider too. Y never know with live animals how they will behave.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think the biggest influence on interactions is space, and if you have a rooster in the dynamics in the flock. That being said, I think 5 gives you a few more options, as in chickens often die, and sometimes for the strangest of reasons. If you get 3, you often wind up with 1 or 2.

I would order 6, (chicken math) knowing that if you need too, you can always sell a bird or a pair, if you need to reduce your numbers.

MK

 

[saysfaa]

The shell of the coop is being built. It is due to be delivered the first of April. This picture is to scale (one square per foot). The chickens will have the full 10' width of the shed for the east six or seven feet. The west seven or eight feet will be garden tools and chicken supplies. The floor plan shows the three doors to the shed, the south side door is 4' wide x 7' high and will be hooked flat against the outside wall so that door opening will be open all the time. I'll put more pictures when the building arrives.

I would love to have a rooster but can't.
I agree three is usually a bad number for most social animals. I think I will aim for five.

 

[K0k0shka]

My personal minimum is 5. Nice round number. With 3, like somebody said, if one dies you have 2, and 2 is just too few. If they happen to not get along, they'll be quarreling and unhappy all the time. Chickens have personalities, and don't get along equally well with everybody in a flock. 5 gives you more breathing room. You can stand to lose one or two without dropping too low in numbers. And it gives the chickens more variety to pick friends from. I have 5 chickens right now, and there definitely are pairs among them that if I had to only have those two, I don't think they'd be happy together. It's pure luck and you don't know which 2 you're gonna get. Might be two that are besties, might be two that really don't like each other. The difference between 3 and 5 isn't that big in terms of feed, expenses, etc. So not a big difference to you personally, but it would be better for the chickens.

 

[JCaseyHammond]

I started with six Black Australorp in 2015

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd consider approaching it differently - if you don't need eggs from 5 birds but would like a steady amount of eggs, starting with 3 and then adding onto the flock after a few years will give you steadier egg production instead of a couple of years of too high production, and then years of low production.

And yes I started with 3 birds. For my egg needs that's sufficient. Now we have 10 birds total, of 3 different age groups, with the youngest ones each time doing most of the producing.

 

[saysfaa]

Follow up and ramble.

I decided on 5, 3 black australorps and 2 brown leghorns. That worked quite well but one of the leghorns wasn't a very good fit for my set up and/or flock. She needed more space and things to do. After dithering about it for a year, I gave her to friends that had a setup better suited. I think the remaining four were relieved. I was happy with four. A couple of months ago, I lost one of the australorps to reproductive issues. I like having four or five much better than having three.

The rambling part is now I need to figure out how to get back to four or five.

One issue is how many chicks to get. I won't do one. Two also seems too few to grow up together. I'm keeping the current three hens. I've been looking for someone who wants a few pullets. Or I might try a few slow meaties. Or three might be enough of a group growing up together; six may work better in my space if the three new ones are bantams.

Another issue, is what breeds to add. I adore the australorps but would like to be able to tell the hens apart more easily. Maybe be able to tell which eggs come from which hens also.

If I didn't have to consider climate and could have any setup, I'd get Black Minorca.

I'm considering:
Bantam Black breasted red Phoenix from Cackle (or other sources). Oh. Some sources say phoenix have thin feathers and a lower percentage of body fat than most breeds. That isn't good for my colder climate.

Brown Red Old English Game bantam from Cackle

Black Wyandotte bantam from Cackle

Bantam Rhode Island Red from Cackle

Exhibition Rhode Island Red from Cackle
RIR have a reputation of not playing well with others. The description says much of that comes from the development of high egg production that these don't have.

Sandhill Preserve has rose comb RIR that the description seems to indicate are also not production strains. Sandhill also offers Black Java chicks which have always been my first choice if finding sources were not such a problem. Sandhill requires more flexibility in things like delivery dates which I could probably work with but doesn't allow picking up the chicks and has a minimum order of 25.

Black Java from Garfield Farm. There is a waiting list for the chicks Garfield Farm supplies (forgot the name) museum that has an exhibit where people can watch chick hatch.

Black Swedish (Svart Hona). So far, I haven't found an affordable source. Well, that is accessible; there is one that doesn't ship chicks at all. I like picking up but that one is not close enough to me. I'll probably keep looking a little - not with much hope.

Special Black from Sunnyside. I don't like the high production much but they allow picking up and they are conveniently located.

Buckeye. Many source options. I like the pea comb. Not so much the red feathering especially the two toned red but, like the RIR above, they may have a dark enough red to be attractive to me . I like darker eyes .