A Box of Monsters

[Stacaroni]

Chicken math is in full swing here so it seems an appropriate time to start this thread.

We brought home our first box of monsters April 29. 3 Easter Eggers, 1 Olive Egger and a Buff Orpington. They surprised us with their charm and grace.



The beasts outgrew their brooder quickly. Before long, they were spending their days lounging in the sun.




Yes, they have their own beach towel. Mostly because it's now covered in poop.

They grew SO fast! It seemed to happen over night. One of them is obviously from a famous family.



Of course now they're almost hens and have a place of their own.



Then chicken math took hold. I received a box of monster eggs in the mail! Who knew such a thing was possible? Thankfully, I had an incubator ready to go.




A mere three days later, I was informed there was another package for me at the post office. This time, a box of live, noisy monsters had been sent. 3 Australorps, 2 Dark Brahmas and 2 Speckled Sussex.



I hope this is all of them. They are entertaining but we only have room for so many.

 

[sourland]

And so goes the math.

 

[gimmie birdies]

In Jan. I ordered 26 chicks for May (Meyers). Then I found out about Surprise box (Mini) 18+ chicks and possibly a duck/turkey. I didn't get ducks or turkeys, but they sent 28 chicks also in May. While I was waiting for those, I went to MT to visit my son in March. I brought home a doz eggs and 8 of those hatched (plus I added another doz from local farms. another 8.) They hatched in April, and I added a few from the tractor store. Around the end of April I got bored and bought 3 doz eggs from the store that were local farm eggs. 34/36 hatched. So a quick count of that, 107 chicks this spring- what am I nuts? (I had the space) I re-homed many females and even got some rooster requests. I am way down now. Still alot. I want to let the roosters grow out a bit and then process them if they don't get homes. I am keeping the fancy-unusual birds. In the end I will have about 30+ by fall.

 

[Stacaroni]

And so goes the math.

I was warned, of course, but when are you ever truly prepared for reality?

 

[Stacaroni]

In Jan. I ordered 26 chicks for May (Meyers). Then I found out about Surprise box (Mini) 18+ chicks and possibly a duck/turkey. I didn't get ducks or turkeys, but they sent 28 chicks also in May. While I was waiting for those, I went to MT to visit my son in March. I brought home a doz eggs and 8 of those hatched (plus I added another doz from local farms. another 8.) They hatched in April, and I added a few from the tractor store. Around the end of April I got bored and bought 3 doz eggs from the store that were local farm eggs. 34/36 hatched. So a quick count of that, 107 chicks this spring- what am I nuts? (I had the space) I re-homed many females and even got some rooster requests. I am way down now. Still alot. I want to let the roosters grow out a bit and then process them if they don't get homes. I am keeping the fancy-unusual birds. In the end I will have about 30+ by fall.

Wow! Where do you find the energy for that many monsters???

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

I can't get my mini monsters to live! 5 Chicks magically appeared in my incubator and of course I had to take them! Then the 6 chicks at TSC jumped in a box and that box teleported to my hand. So then I had 11! Then a hen sat on 5 more chicks but I got rid of those. Now I am down to 5. 3 roosters, 1 hen, and 1 ???. Because a nope rope broke into my coop and ate 3 pullets and a cockerel.

 

[Stacaroni]

I can't get my mini monsters to live! 5 Chicks magically appeared in my incubator and of course I had to take them! Then the 6 chicks at TSC jumped in a box and that box teleported to my hand. So then I had 11! Then a hen sat on 5 more chicks but I got rid of those. Now I am down to 5. 3 roosters, 1 hen, and 1 ???. Because a nope rope broke into my coop and ate 3 pullets and a cockerel.

That's horrible!!! I'm sorry you're having such terrible luck with them!

 

[Stacaroni]

This is Doodle, the largest and most outgoing of the EEs. It seems I am both furniture and food source. Notice the look of disappointment?

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

This is sounding really familiar... Hmm.

So THAT'S how I ended up with nearly 20 "regular chickens" (for fresh eggs), an assortment of "petting chickens" (because who doesn't want to pet a pretty bird), two, correction,  one travel-sized "purse chickens" er, chicken" (because Banty chickens are only half a chicken..and that would be weird to have 25 & 1/2 chickens, so I had to get 2!), one "show chicken" (decorative purposes only), and, of course, my own "personal pet chicken" Sunspot!
(Thinking...)
Nope, not a single superfluous chicken! Every single one is absolutely crucial to my flock, especially the decorative one.

 

[BlueBaby]

@Stacaroni Good luck with that hatch that you started doing yesterday! I hope you get all 11 monster's to magically appear in that incubator.