How many chickens should a beginner start with? | Outpost buildings (2024)

There's nothing like heading out to the garden to fill your egg basket for a tasty breakfast omelet and being greeted by the soft chuckles of your favorite feathered friends. If you're assuming that a few chickens are enough for all your egg needs, then you'll probably want to head to the store to stock up afterwards!

For novice chicken owners, four or five chickens would be the perfect number of chickens. This will give you a lucrative number of eggs for an average family, give you time to learn poultry farming, and give your chickens the socialization they need to thrive.

Believe it or not, chickens are social animals. Do you ever remember seeing a lonely chicken? If you're considering adopting new backyard egg-producing pets, we have some insightful tips to get you started on your daily breakfast deliciousness.

How many chickens should I start with?

Chickens are extremely social creatures, these birds love to congregate. They are known to bond with each other and are intelligent enough to recognize not only each other, but also us humans. For this reason, two chickens are not enough to maintain this social character. Three, four or even five would be a good number of chickens to start your flock with. This way you can learn the ropes of becoming an egg farmer in an easy-to-manage way, without sacrificing their need to interact with each other.

That said, if you have a larger family, you can take it a step further with a few more chickens. Six or eight chickens will probably give you a good supply of fresh eggs for the week without being too much of a challenge.

What is the best chicken breed for beginners?

What defines a good chicken breed depends on what you want to raise your chickens for. Maybe you want a friendly little egg maker at the bottom of the garden, maybe you want to enjoy the variety of colors in your chooks and your eggs, or maybe you're thinking about the whole farm-to-table cycle of regular eggs. chicken dinners, in which case you'll want to add a tap. Are you ready for that challenge?

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Red or brown razors

Red Shavers, named for their rich chestnut color, are the most common egg-producing breed in New Zealand. They are perfect for first time owners because of their strong and friendly personality and their consistent production of large brown eggs.

Orpington

Orpington chickens are extremely sweet chickens, both in appearance and character. Their friendliness makes them a perfect addition to families with small children. They lay large white eggs and are known for their ability to hatch groups of chicks at a time.

Leghorn

Leghorns are medium sized, white or cream colored with distinctive large red waves. They are relatively easy to care for and lay pure white eggs quite consistently from spring to fall. They love to fly, so you should take that into account when designing their coop.

Read more about the different chicken breeds and which one suits you best in our article aboutThings you need to know before purchasing chickens.

How many eggs do my chickens lay?

A good chicken will give you an egg a day, but that doesn't mean they will definitely lay every day. Don't be disappointed if your laying hen doesn't produce every day of the week. That is why we recommend that you purchase four or five laying hens. This can take the pressure off if you don't feel like it.

Four chickens will give you about three to four eggs per day. Remember that most chickens have a break for a few weeks in the fall or winter. With these kinds of expectations, you'll be happy if they deliver a little more than you expected.

Can you mix different chicken breeds?

If you wish, you can keep a mixed flock of different chicken breeds. However, you should consider the temperament of each breed and whether they are a good match. For example, some breeds can be loud and dominant, while others are calm and docile. You may not want to mix the two as this can cause conflict or stress in some birds.

In addition to the varying temperament of chicken breeds, some birds are also stronger in colder weather and others do better in warmer weather. You may have difficulty finding the optimal temperature in your chicken coop for both breeds.

Mixing your chicken breeds is certainly an option, but as a newbie to egg or chicken farming you'll want to do your homework ahead of time to ensure your chickens can live together in harmony.

Will my backyard chickens fly away?

Most chicken breeds can only fly about half a meter in the air and about 15 meters away at any time. For this reason, plus the fact that they are domesticated animals that prefer to stay close to their habitat, you don't have to worry too much about your chickens flying away.

Although your chickens will not typically choose to fly or wander away from your property, it is not unheard of for them to become a bit more adventurous in their explorations once they become accustomed to the area and comfortable with their surroundings. The reason the term free-range chickens exists is because of their inherent sense of direction, which instinctively takes them back to safety.

What might make you nervous is the fact that they were able to escape the coop only to be chased by the neighbor's dog or a feral cat. To avoid this panic-inducing thought, invest in a safe and sustainable solutionchicken coop and chicken coopwith our Outdoor Post Kit.

In addition to making sure your chickens have a sturdy home in which they can stay safe, you can prevent your chickens from flying away from their coop by making sure they are happy. The main reason they probably venture out is because their needs aren't being met, ie. they are hungry, cold, thirsty, uncomfortable, or they see some danger nearby. As long as you can provide them with the comfort, safety, warmth and food they need, they won't want to leave.

What is the best time of year to start raising chickens?

The best time to start raising chickens, yes, it has to be spring! Especially if you raise them from small, fresh chicks. Spring is the best time to start raising chickens for many good reasons:

• Chickens lay the healthiest eggs in the spring. This is the natural time to hatch and raise babies so they are in good condition when the colder months arrive.
• Spring chickens develop better immunity thanks to the cooler weather that keeps pathogens at bay during their most vulnerable months on the ground.
• The demand for chickens in the spring will mean there will be a wider range of breeds to choose from.
• Chickens raised in the spring are more likely to lay eggs the following winter, as they begin laying between 4 and 8 months of age.
• If your chicks are shipped, they are more likely to survive the journey in the warmer spring months.
• You are more likely to be able to raise your chicks in natural light if they are born in the spring.

Now that spring is approaching, you can find the best spot in your garden for your chicken coop, purchase your chicken coop and order your chickens just in time for the longer, warmer days.

How many nest boxes does a chicken need?

Nesting boxes are not actually for sleeping chickens, that's what calving stones are for; the nest boxes may only be used for laying eggs. It's a good idea to have at least one nest box for every four chicks, so if you're starting with five or six chicks, two nest boxes are perfect.

If you're wondering what else you should take with you when housing your dogs, look no further than our article onwhat a chicken coop needs.

How many chickens do you need to get twelve eggs a week?

Egg consumption doesn't stop at breakfast in the morning, baking cakes, making quiches or consuming just about anything, adding a little extra healthy protein to the diet. The number of eggs you pass depends on the size of your family and how many eggs you eat per week, but mainly on how many your chickens lay in a seven-day period.

Some chickens lay an average of one egg per day, while others may only lay a few times a week. It also depends on the season, as some breeds do not lay as often during the winter months. This is another benefit of having a few more chickens in your flock. With three to four laying hens you get an average of ten eggs per week.

How many chickens does a family of 4 need?

Let's say you and your family each eat an average of one egg per day, whether it's two days and none the next. Ideally, you will need between four and six chickens to produce these eggs for you. This way you will probably have some extra eggs during the productive summer months and compensate for the lower production in the winter.