Chicken math got me real good

[Ryguy3684]

My wife and I wanted chickens for 12 years, since we bought our house. We couldn't have birds because my wife runs a home daycare and it was against regulations. Our youngest is starting kindergarten this year, so she finally closed daycare to go back to teaching. Unfortunately, the covid crisis made people go chicken crazy, at the exact time we've been planning out getting our chicks, so it took a while to get the chicks shipped.
It started in April with a plan to keep 6 hens, a small, prefab coop, and a small low run. Fast forward three months, we're keeping all 10 birds ordered, got a rooster yesterday, and we finished building their new, large setup. I now fully understand the term "chicken math".. The coop is 8x8, the run is 16x9, and it has a quarantine, time-out, brooder set-up on the side. The chicken swing goes in tomorrow. . The first picture is my original setup.
This is way to much fun, and a big THANK YOU, to all the helpful members on this forum.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chicken keeping is a real addiction.

 

[orloffer]

Nice set-up! Chicken math should never be underestimated.

 

[Crestcrazy2]

Wow that's a REALLY nice coop !
Like no words to describe it ! :0
Have fun !

 

[aart]

Thinks that's more like 'pre-fab math'

 

[CommunistEgg]

We are the same person. Friggin chicken math.

 

[Brandy2512]

Beautiful!! I’m so jealous. I really want to convert our shed into a bigger coop. But... seeing as how my husband just built a nice coop & run this Spring, it would take some serious convincing/manipulation, lol.

 

[Ryguy3684]

Beautiful!! I’m so jealous. I really want to convert our shed into a bigger coop. But... seeing as how my husband just built a nice coop & run this Spring, it would take some serious convincing/manipulation, lol.

Thanks. I kept adding new sections and it started looking like a hobo shantytown, so I said screw it. Might as well go bigger to accommodate future birds. My wife found a couple cool ideas for the top of the quarantine box, so I'll post those when I build them next week.

 

[Sonya9]

Beautiful coop and bigger is always better. 10 birds isn't too many especially if you add 2-3 chicks every spring to keep the egg supply steady. If you can acquire a broody hen that would be a great addition to the flock. They make adding 2-3 store bought layer chicks to the flock each spring a breeze (chicks get raised right in the coop).

Though if you go that route do you research and don't just let "nature take its course" in the hen house. If you locate local chicken breeders with lots of birds you can probably buy a known broody from them by next spring.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

First, it looks fantastic. Hope you enjoyed the build as much as I enjoyed looking at the finished product. Mine is much larger, but best described as "serviceable".

Second, thank you for the "chicken math" post generally. My first bunch of birds are due to start laying beginning next month,with the majority of the flock starting the month following - but I was already tempted to bring more birds home from the farm store when I saw them last week. Every "chicken math" post I see serves as reminder/warning to be patient, see if I have any broodies.