The recommended amount of chicks to raise is 50. Before you get all excited this is a standard that was recommended back in the 40′s or later. I believe it probably went along with the “victory gardens” after the second world war.
This number was recommended because the average family depended on chickens for meat and eggs. I assume they could be purchased but for rural families, this was where they got their eggs and chicken.
The chickens, even back then, were shipped in the same manner in that they would be sexed about 50/50 meaning females to males. The young cockerels would be eaten and the pullets kept for laying eggs. The chickens were canned or frozen and during the winter as some of the pullets stopped laying, they would also be eaten.
As spring arrived there would be a dozen or so hens left that would provide eggs for the family, while they raised another 50 or so chicks.
The number for a flock today would probably be half a dozen. Some of this is because of laws made by the government making it illegal to raise more than a very few in many cities.
6 hens take very little room so a small shelter is needed. The standard is 4 square feet per bird but in a small shelter, I like at least 6 or even 8 square feet per bird with at least double that in their outside pen. I think it is beneficial to treat them well, even if you plan to eventually eat them.
You can research the diseases and problems but most hobby chicken farmers or backyard chicken farmers will not encounter most of them. It will do little more than cause worry.
I am not saying you won’t encounter problems. I am saying the information is generally available when you need it so why read until you become a fanatic worrying about the flock.
I will leave the care for another section of this blog.
For now, figure 235 eggs per laying hen per year with about a month off for a neck molt, then another 3 months for a body molt. I usually figure about 20 dozen per year. You can pretty much figure how many chickens you need by dividing the number of eggs your family eats divided using this statistic. It will be close enough.
You won’t be able to even consider the amount of chickens for meat as you won’t be able to raise enough if you have eggs also. Some meat birds could be raised and eaten after 3 months so you could effectively raise 24 per year which might do it for some families, but being realistic, a zone that allows 6 chickens eliminates raising them for meat.
Generally they need to be replaced after 2 years. Even then, the second year productivity will drop probably about 20%. Eggs are larger the second year so you might get the same weight in eggs, but the quantity will drop slightly.
It takes about 4 1/2 pounds of grain to get a dozen eggs with the heavier breeds. The cost of grain determines the cost of eggs although with 6 chickens, they will get some table scraps, etc. which should dramatically reduce the grain bill.
One of my Rhode Island Reds is bare bellied up to her tail. My other 6 are fine – can anyone tell me why???
thanks
I haven’t experienced this when you refer to “belly”. I do know roosters will basically rip all the feathers off of a hen’s back. This is common with the one he likes.
You don’t say if you have a rooster or not, or the age of the hens.