What’s your magic chicken number?

[ForFlocksSake]

Hey there backyarders! Chicken math got me and I’m looking to expand my small flock next spring. Right now I have 5 girls who haven’t even begun laying, but I am so excited to add new breeds to my bunch. That being said, I need to plan accordingly in order to prepare our next coop and run. So I ask- what is your magic number of birds for your backyard flock? Have you cut down? Have you added or feel you’d be happier with more?

Right now I’m thinking 10 layers and wiggle room to add 5-6 chicks/pullets. So 15 total at a time (we do not plan to keep our hens older than 3 years). We do not free range so our setup with be one or two large runs with coops attached.

what has been your magic number and your way of managing that number?

 

[Sally PB]

The space available in my coop and run gives me my "magic number." Right now I have 5 hens, 5 pullets, and 1 rooster. I don't plan to add any more birds next spring. The earliest I plan to add chicks is 2025, and only if I have 8 or fewer birds remaining from my current flock.

I want to add at least 3 chicks at a time, so that they make a small sub-flock on their own.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I built my coop for 12 max so that's my limit. Currently have 10 birds spanning from 3 to 7 years old. I was adding 4 chicks every other year, but we skipped a cycle due to the fact that we were near capacity at the time (11 birds) plus getting more eggs than we could eat. With laying slowed down and some of the oldest hens unlikely to survive through the winter, I'm hoping to add 3-4 more chicks next spring which will take us to 12 (assuming 1-2 hens pass away).

Since you're already thinking about growing your flock I hope you're thinking ahead on how you're going to handle integration as well. With pre-planning it can be a breeze. Because I am well over the minimum in terms of run space and have a tried-and-true brooder/early integration set up, there hasn't been any real issue with integration. But it's stressful to go in without a plan.

I don't have issues with chicken math though. The thought of being flooded with eggs is enough to deter me.

 

[ForFlocksSake]

The space available in my coop and run gives me my "magic number." Right now I have 5 hens, 5 pullets, and 1 rooster. I don't plan to add any more birds next spring. The earliest I plan to add chicks is 2025, and only if I have 8 or fewer birds remaining from my current flock.

I want to add at least 3 chicks at a time, so that they make a small sub-flock on their own.

I built my coop for 12 max so that's my limit. Currently have 10 birds spanning from 3 to 7 years old. I was adding 4 chicks every other year, but we skipped a cycle due to the fact that we were near capacity at the time (11 birds) plus getting more eggs than we could eat. With laying slowed down and some of the oldest hens unlikely to survive through the winter, I'm hoping to add 3-4 more chicks next spring which will take us to 12 (assuming 1-2 hens pass away).

Since you're already thinking about growing your flock I hope you're thinking ahead on how you're going to handle integration as well. With pre-planning it can be a breeze. Because I am well over the minimum in terms of run space and have a tried-and-true brooder/early integration set up, there hasn't been any real issue with integration. But it's stressful to go in without a plan.

I don't have issues with chicken math though. The thought of being flooded with eggs is enough to deter me.

Integration is definitely on our radar. We’re even considering keeping two separate setups so we can avoid it all together. Or start the young ones in one and then move them
When they’re large enough to hold their own.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Integration is definitely on our radar. We’re even considering keeping two separate setups so we can avoid it all together. Or start the young ones in one and then move them
When they’re large enough to hold their own.

No reason to avoid it - plan and set up for it and it's really not a big deal. Ideally I'm done with integration when chicks are around 4 weeks.

 

[Sally PB]

We added on to the coop this last spring when we got chicks. The new space was theirs, and separated from the rest with a fence/gate. I also put up a fence and make a separate area for the littles in the run for a "look, don't touch" integration.

When I take the fence down, I move a lot of the run "furniture" around so that it's new for everyone. That makes the older birds have to get used to something different and take their focus off the chicks.

I have a hen who goes broody 2-3 times a year, but her timing didn't coincide with the chicks' arrival, otherwise I would have let her handle it all.

 

[aart]

My numbers are limited by my winter housing.
I used to have as many as 35 in the spring summer,
then pared it down to 18 by the time snow flew.
I learned that adding chicks when very young is the easiest integration.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

No reason to avoid it - plan and set up for it and it's really not a big deal.

Yes, proper prior planning will save you lots of live animal drama headaches/heartbreaks.

 

[BGMatt]

I feel most comfortable around 60-75 birds and at least four breeds.

I find with less breeds and birds I tend to get coop blindness. Having more forces me to pay attention. And actually have a selection of birds to pick from for breeding.

The joy in raising poultry for me is the set of breeding and improving the stock I have.

 

[First time Chick mom]

My magic number at the moment is 6 chickens. I started with 5 EEs and 3 turned out to be cockerels (I had to rehome). I didn't want my two girls to be lonely, so I got 2 BO and 2 SLW. All are young ( EEs are 24 weeks and BOs and SLWs are 19 weeks). Raised all from 2 days and thought integrating them would be rather easy. They were in a separate cage from 7 weeks old- till 11 weeks old, in the run and coop. I couldn't put the younger in with the older ones because of the 3 cockerels (two were too aggressive, while one was their protector). Once we found them a home, we tried to integrate the 4 pullets with the 2 older girls. It didn't go very well. They kept chasing them and running them back into the cage. They are all good now, but I dread ever having to do that again. The people on this forum helped so much. So, 6 it is.

 

[tlcmurphy]

3
Bought 4 chicks, one passed at 5 weeks. Found another chick the same age! Cockerel, had to rehome him . Got another pullet! Current pullets bullied her, had to rehome again . Still have the bully hen.
3
Does anyone remember the tootsie pop commercial, how many lucks does it take to get to the center?