[Callo12]

Hi,

After persistent nagging my wife has finally given in and agreed to add chickens to our empire which already consists of 2 dogs, three cats & 3 children.....

Will two be enough?  Will they be happy as a duo?

Also, any advice on my dogs & chickens?  I have a cocker spaniel & a lab....

Thanks

lee

[lucylou]

hi callo! congratulations! yes 2 hens would be happy together but 3 would be better so that there is still 2 if anything happens to one of them (which happenned to mine last year and i had one girl by herself for a month) we have a jack russell who would be very keen to kill our girls if given th eopportunity, so we keep our girls in an enclosure where our dog cannot reach them they are not frightened of her but her instinct would be to have them    good luck with your hens when you get them - have you decided what breed to get yet? its a very exciting hobby indeed (although those without hens do not realise this!) your oh will soon be laughing at their antics and loving them too lucylou

[Callo12]

Hi,

Thanks for your advice..... not sure on breed as yet.....

I will probably opt for 3 - makes sense!

Max my cocker is the main cause for concern, but I plan to keep them well apart....

Thanks again

lee

[Flowerpower136]

My 8 are ex batts, and I'm sure I was told minimum for rehousing was 3, and for the above reason. 

It's best to get the right number to start with too, rather than trying to add another one or 2 later on, because it could cause problems with pecking order.  My 8 all came together, had a fortnights skirmish, and have been best friends ever since, sort of.

We too have a dog, as do many on this site.  And really, it depends on the dog.  There are some lovely pictures about of dogs and chickens together.  Unfortunately our dog Maddy (also a rehomed crit), has the temperament of a veloceraptor, so she and the girls must never meet.  For that reason alone, our girls are house in a big walk in pen/aviary.  Can't risk free range, or they'd be dog food, and avoiding that fate was the reason they came here in the first place.

Well done for nagging for the chooks - always works for me!

[carolbriar]

I would also recommend getting 3.  I got 4 to start with and after just 10 days was down to 3.  The breeder replaced one and I bought another one as I knew it was better to introduce 2 or more at a time because of the pecking order and bullying.  I now have 5 and they get on really well.  It only took them two or three days to sort themselves out - they were really pretty good as they were all the same age and from the same place. 
Carolbriar

[smiler43]

Definitely 3, but if you have room go for more as you'll only be adding more eventually.  Chickens are very addictive.  I've 4 and are looking at getting more, be warned!! 

Like flowerepower say depends on the dog.  My hens chased and pecked the dog.  We keep them seperate.

[chuckmum]

Three is better, but two would be happy if you don't have space.
 I have an English springer spaniel and a really mad Sprocker spaniel (springer/cocker cross) my dogs are kept well away, as hunting birds in inbreed in them. The sprocker would chase them if he got the chance, the springer would kill them. We put in an extra fence to ensure that dogs and hens don't meet and the cube is certainly dog proof. My girls do wander right up to the the dogs in there run and tease them though when they are free range. The cat's were interested when the chooks were little but are no threat now!

[Rubellite]

I started off with two...........now I've got 17

[Jeanette]

Definatly get three

[grenhouse]

I would definitely opt for the 3, as other people have said just incase you lose one. As rubellite says, I started off with 4 and now have 20. Had to build a run at home for some cos i didn't have much more space at the lottie! Its an addiction!

Steve