Thread: Chicken help

I'm considering buying some chickens for egg production. I live in northeast Florida and have an acre of land. We have a dog who is a hunter so we know that we'll have to have a mobile pen for the chickens. My first question is how many chickens are good for a newbie? I've read 3-5. And is it better to raise from chicks or get pullets?

This is something we are planning on doing in the near future and any help would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I have 16 girls and 1 rooster. I did raise 1/2 from babies and 1/2 were bought around 20 weeks old. (They start laying around 20-24 weeks) My 3 year old helps with the chicken chores and can feed, gather eggs and help clean out the coop when its time. I don't have him do the water just because ours is a bit awkward. I have had moveable coops that we had our meat birds in for the few weeks in the summer before they were butchered. A lightweight coop is great if you don't have preditors that will get in, under or through at night. Otherwise, I would suggest getting enough birds for your families egg consumption. If your family goes through 4 eggs per day then 6 chickens would be a good bet. You will get aproximately 2/3 eggs to chickens.
Chickens are really easy to raise and very entertaining as well. Having 8 instead of 4 doesn't change the work involved since they will still need water, food and to be moved.

Good Luck!!! I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do!