Chicken Math

[hannahsflock]

I haven't seen any active 'chicken math' threads on BYC lately, and I love reading these kinds of stories. So I decided to make a thread myself.

My chicken journey has been a long one. Ever since 2009 (and the original plan of a couple of egg layers) I have expanded my flock to include several breeds, bought an incubator, made mistakes, had regrets and grown to adore all my birds.

Post your experiences with 'chicken math' or 'chicken multiplication'

 

[sylviethecochin]

Started with 12 Straight-Run RIRs. Then, two years later, we butchered them and got 25 straight run australorps, barred Rocks, and RIRs. Five years after that, we have nearly seventy chickens, including bantams. And one's sitting on a clutch of eggs.

Good thing they're all free-range. Otherwise--we'd be broke.

 

[sassysarah]

I started with 5 hens, 5 months old, they were production reds, then one passed away! So we added a Buff Orpington to the flock, she was top in the pecking order! Then after some time, something got them all, and killed them, except one, at separate times. Then that one was lonely, so we got 5 more hens! Then the last original one died along with one of the new ones we got We still have the four left.... And we ordered 5 chicks from a hatchery, and they have us an extra! So now we have 10

 

[hannahsflock]

I started with 5 hens, 5 months old, they were production reds, then one passed away! So we added a Buff Orpington to the flock, she was top in the pecking order! Then after some time, something got them all, and killed them, except one, at separate times. Then that one was lonely, so we got 5 more hens! Then the last original one died along with one of the new ones we got We still have the four left.... And we ordered 5 chicks from a hatchery, and they have us an extra! So now we have 10

I'm sorry you lost your first flock Your current flock sounds lovely though!

 

[sassysarah]

I'm sorry you lost your first flock Your current flock sounds lovely though!

Awe! Thank you! They are! I've got two barred rocks, a Buff Orpington, a autralorp, two Light brahmas, a Delaware, a EE, a white rock, and a Red sex link.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I started helping my Mom feed/take care of her chickens in the early 1960's, probably in the late 1950's but I do not remember that. She always had chickens back then. As I grew, got married I had some chickens most of my adult live---except for a few times. From 1980's to date I have had chickens steady. I have always sold my 2 to 3 year old chickens about once a year at a Wednesday Junk Auction so I could just keep younger chickens. In 2014 I went to a Auction that sold Miscellaneous at 2pm and chickens at 5pm. I was HOOKED, it was very interesting. Went back the next week, bought some hatching eggs to put in my Styrofoam incubator I had bought years earlier. Kept going back EVERY week. I had 3 chicken pens already with coops and 32 chickens, so I got a few chickens---a breed I did not have that I thought were pretty. I sold some of the chicks I hatched from the eggs I bought at the Auction---I really liked that. Next thing I know----fast forwarding. I had 67 chicken pens with coops, 27 different breeds, 5 cabinet incubators, 10 or 12 Styrofoam incubators, a brooder room with 20+ brooders, hatching hundreds of chicks a week, selling some from home, some at the Auction, collecting Many eggs, buying over $200 in feed per week(the chicken Math kept adding--LOL) next thing I know I had hatched over 6000 chicks in a little over a year(10,000 to date), was keeping and growing out, breeding over 1200 chickens. You have to Be Careful----They Can Consume your Life!!!

 

[hannahsflock]

I started helping my Mom feed/take care of her chickens in the early 1960's, probably in the late 1950's but I do not remember that. She always had chickens back then. As I grew, got married I had some chickens most of my adult live---except for a few times. From 1980's to date I have had chickens steady. I have always sold my 2 to 3 year old chickens about once a year at a Wednesday Junk Auction so I could just keep younger chickens. In 2014 I went to a Auction that sold Miscellaneous at 2pm and chickens at 5pm. I was HOOKED, it was very interesting. Went back the next week, bought some hatching eggs to put in my Styrofoam incubator I had bought years earlier. Kept going back EVERY week. I had 3 chicken pens already with coops and 32 chickens, so I got a few chickens---a breed I did not have that I thought were pretty. I sold some of the chicks I hatched from the eggs I bought at the Auction---I really liked that. Next thing I know----fast forwarding. I had 67 chicken pens with coops, 5 cabinet incubators, 10 or 12 Styrofoam incubators, a brooder room with 20+ brooders, hatching hundreds of chicks a week, selling some from home, some at the Auction, collecting Many eggs, buying over $200 in feed per week(the chicken Math kept adding--LOL) next thing I know I had hatched over 6000 chicks, was keeping and growing, breeding over 1200 chickens. You have to Be Careful----They Can Consume your Life!!!

That's a lot of chickens! I know from experience that chickens are hugely addicting. There are just too many beautiful breeds! The only thing limiting me from buying more is space at the moment. I have to be careful not to over crowd.

I try to pretend I don't have an addiction, and that the chickens I have don't count (chicken math subtraction rules etc) but in the end, it all adds up when you get the feed bill

 

[PD-Riverman]

but in the end, it all adds up when you get the feed bill

I did not mind the feed bill---it takes money to make money---I always say. I have sold over $2000 in a week---over $1200 in just one day----a little feed(over $200 in a week) was nothing to worry about----LOL

BUT, BUT as fast as I got in----I got out faster------I sold 950 chickens in 7 weeks----selling way down Because I got a e-mail about the Bird-flu----I had 1232 chickens in my grow out pen that day when I got that e-mail---from Clemson stating info about the bird-flu----stated "its not going to be "IF" we get it---its going to be when we get it. I told My wife we Might get it but not with me raising 1200+ chickens---I sold 238 that weekend and 150+ the next few weekends. All the chicken Auctions in NC closed, Long story shorten----some months back I started hatching steady again, then the bird-flu scare from down in Georgia/Tenn I said Man----Not again. I slowed down again---It did not last long and chicken sales were reinstated in those area's. Now I only have about 150 I am growing----incubator shut down----just wondering what is going to happen next.

 

[mistycolleen]

I started helping my Mom feed/take care of her chickens in the early 1960's, probably in the late 1950's but I do not remember that. She always had chickens back then. As I grew, got married I had some chickens most of my adult live---except for a few times. From 1980's to date I have had chickens steady. I have always sold my 2 to 3 year old chickens about once a year at a Wednesday Junk Auction so I could just keep younger chickens. In 2014 I went to a Auction that sold Miscellaneous at 2pm and chickens at 5pm. I was HOOKED, it was very interesting. Went back the next week, bought some hatching eggs to put in my Styrofoam incubator I had bought years earlier. Kept going back EVERY week. I had 3 chicken pens already with coops and 32 chickens, so I got a few chickens---a breed I did not have that I thought were pretty. I sold some of the chicks I hatched from the eggs I bought at the Auction---I really liked that. Next thing I know----fast forwarding. I had 67 chicken pens with coops, 27 different breeds, 5 cabinet incubators, 10 or 12 Styrofoam incubators, a brooder room with 20+ brooders, hatching hundreds of chicks a week, selling some from home, some at the Auction, collecting Many eggs, buying over $200 in feed per week(the chicken Math kept adding--LOL) next thing I know I had hatched over 6000 chicks in a little over a year(10,000 to date), was keeping and growing out, breeding over 1200 chickens. You have to Be Careful----They Can Consume your Life!!!

This is amazing! I kept reading faster and faster, raising my eyebrows to the point i didn't think they could go! Haha I loved your story!! Just incredible!! Haha I'm still laughing

 

[mistycolleen]

Awe I just read you lasr comment. Atleast you are still in it and enjoying what you do. We all have hurdles of varies kinda regardless of what we do. Your still an inspiration if you ask me! And a responsible one at that!