Thinking of getting some chickens

three.

I agree with everyone else.  Three seems to be the optimum number.  Over the years, when one of mine has died, I have replaced it with two, bringing the flock up to four, then when another goes I leave it at three, but once it drops below three I introduce two more birds.  It seems to take the sting out of the scrapping to be leader of the flock if the "newbies" come in in twos.