CAN YOU EVER REALLY HAVE TOO MANY CHICKENS?

[alba]

I have 24 yard birds. That is more than enough for me.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Yeah and if you free range them, it's not even that much. My dad has 45 meat/egg laying chickens. He goes through at least 6 50# bags of layena a month. I, on the other hand, have 75 bantams, and I only buy 2 bags a month. But mine are full time free rangers!

Also bantams are 1/2 the size of the regulars with 1/2 the appetite .....

If your dad goes that much feed , some kind of way they are wasting this food .

#1. I have close to a 100 head , varies breeds and ages . I go thru 2 bags of laying pellets a month and 1 bag of chicken scratch and 1 bag of chick grower ....

NOW I do give snacks because I can not let them free range . BUT 6 bags is a BIT much for 45 head .

#2. I feed HEAVY in lae afternoon only . Norning and mid afternoon I give snacks ... BREAD , rice veggies ....

# 3. CHICKENS do not have to be eating 24/7

Yeah, he pretty much keeps his feeders full all the time, but that is all they eat, unless my son goes and pulls up some weeds for them. He thinks that just because they come running to the front of the pen everytime someone comes out there, that means they're hungry. Oh well it's his feed bill! He has RIR, SLW, and leghorns, so they are pretty big. I'm the one with a whole bunch of bantams.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi!
My birds eat 50+ lbs of feed a day and I don't think I have too many.
Uh... I never know how many birds are here EXACTLY (# changes weekly... sell some, hatch some).

Lisa

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Well, I am up to 45 (with two who are going to have to go, because they are 2 boys too many).

I just have hubby build me more coops

I got room for more banties, but I really will have to stop soon, or add on to the barn..... I plan to breed some of my own next spring, so I'll need room for those.

But, then again, I did just see this ad in the local magazine for a 12x12 dog run with two dog houses for 100 bucks... I wonder if it's been sold yet... (I could put ducks in there... or turkeys, or.... hmmm

where is that phone number....

Now, if I go to Shelleys anytime soon, that means I'll be adding some blues... I can move the cochins to the boys cell, and the spitzs can share with....

Nope, not according to me, too many is not in my vocabulary - but alas, it IS in hubby's vocabulary, LOL - but I always get what I want in the end, I am so spoiled

Peace -
Meri

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:

WOW!! A friend of mine goes through about 50# in like 3-4 days, and I thought THAT was bad

 

[chickenannie]

It's funny how you start with 15 chickens and end up with 100 poultry. It happened so gradually to me, and when I finally counted them all, I was absolutely shocked. It's like you love them all and their little baby chicks and all the new ones too and then one day you realize you're spending an HOUR on feeding/watering chores every morning and you're picking up feed every other week, and the fridge is so full of egg cartons you can't even put any other food in there and even your regular egg customers can't keep the supply down. Embarrassing but true.

 

[shelleyd2008]

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Well my jump was definitely NOT gradual. I started with one rooster, one hen, and 3 pullets in June, and I am up to 75 so far, with 3 broodies; one due in a few days, one in about a week, and one in about 2 weeks