I started this year with 11 birds. 10 hens, 1 rooster. It was a pretty good fit. All Buff Opringtons, and they were all good birds, not a lot of variety though.
Today, I have 40 birds. 26 hens/pullets, 8 roosters/cockerels, 6 unsexed chicks.
How did this happen? Well...
April-
We stuck 12 eggs in the incubator, hatching 10 Buff Oprington chicks. Same time we ordered 10 Appenzeller pullets, we lost three from transport/over the next couple days.
We were up to 28 birds.
May-
Ordered 18 silkie eggs online, a couple of eggs were refunded, a couple didn't develop, hatched 11 silkies in the end.
Had a hen go broody and hatch 3 more Buff Orpington chicks.
Sadly lost 2 hens from a raccoon
Up to 40 birds
June-
Sent 2 Buff Orpington hens to live with grandparents. We plan to keep switching birds out with them as it helps them with food security.
Down to 38 birds
July-
Processed 4 cockerels
Down to 34 birds
August-
Sold 2 Buff Orpington hens, 3 Buff Orpington pullets, & 1 silkie pullet
Had another hen go broody, hatched 7 eggs, sadly 1 didn't make it.
Still at 34 birds
September-
Impulse purchased 6 more chicks; 2 isa brown, 2 black sex link, 2 amberlink
Now up to 40 again
: )
Plans for this fall;
Mostly getting rid of some roosters.
Selling 4 silkie cockerels, and processing 3+ Buff Orpingtons. By the end, we plan to just have 1 silkie rooster left. We might choose to add another rooster next year, but it'll be someone not related to any of our current birds. Probably one already raised with a good temperament that someone just needs to rehome.
This year will leave us with around 6 silkies, 7 appenzeller, 2 isa brown, 2 black sex link, 2 amberlink, and between 8-14 Buff Opringtons.
So between 27 and 33 birds depending on how things go.
We may end up processing or rehome more, or we could always lose more to predators, injury, or disease. But chicken match is fun. Numbers go up and down very quickly. It's nice to have a good variety, and I'm looking forward to seeing all these chicks as adult birds.
Today, I have 40 birds. 26 hens/pullets, 8 roosters/cockerels, 6 unsexed chicks.
How did this happen? Well...
April-
We stuck 12 eggs in the incubator, hatching 10 Buff Oprington chicks. Same time we ordered 10 Appenzeller pullets, we lost three from transport/over the next couple days.
We were up to 28 birds.
May-
Ordered 18 silkie eggs online, a couple of eggs were refunded, a couple didn't develop, hatched 11 silkies in the end.
Had a hen go broody and hatch 3 more Buff Orpington chicks.
Sadly lost 2 hens from a raccoon
Up to 40 birds
June-
Sent 2 Buff Orpington hens to live with grandparents. We plan to keep switching birds out with them as it helps them with food security.
Down to 38 birds
July-
Processed 4 cockerels
Down to 34 birds
August-
Sold 2 Buff Orpington hens, 3 Buff Orpington pullets, & 1 silkie pullet
Had another hen go broody, hatched 7 eggs, sadly 1 didn't make it.
Still at 34 birds
September-
Impulse purchased 6 more chicks; 2 isa brown, 2 black sex link, 2 amberlink
Now up to 40 again
: )
Plans for this fall;
Mostly getting rid of some roosters.
Selling 4 silkie cockerels, and processing 3+ Buff Orpingtons. By the end, we plan to just have 1 silkie rooster left. We might choose to add another rooster next year, but it'll be someone not related to any of our current birds. Probably one already raised with a good temperament that someone just needs to rehome.
This year will leave us with around 6 silkies, 7 appenzeller, 2 isa brown, 2 black sex link, 2 amberlink, and between 8-14 Buff Opringtons.
So between 27 and 33 birds depending on how things go.
We may end up processing or rehome more, or we could always lose more to predators, injury, or disease. But chicken match is fun. Numbers go up and down very quickly. It's nice to have a good variety, and I'm looking forward to seeing all these chicks as adult birds.
