Chicken math

[Outpost JWB]

My hubby had to run me to the grocery store Saturday night to buy eggs. I get between 6 and 8 a day from my hens. HE told me that since I finished processing the meat birds this weekend that I need more layers

. He sent me off to Rural King with his sister and I came home with these little guys:


They are 4 Buff Orpington, 4 Rhode Island Red, and 2 Black Austrolorp

.

I also have 6 eggs in the incubator due to hatch next week. He says I need more hens, Im happy to oblige hehehe.

They have chicks this time of year??? I'm on my way!!!

 

[funnyfarmmom]

Yep, the Rural King in Bloomington In. 2 towns away from me, but hey! Chicks! Lol Theyve had them all summer. They even had 3 breedsof baby ducks.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Yep, the Rural King in Bloomington In. 2 towns away from me, but hey! Chicks! Lol Theyve had them all summer. They even had 3 breedsof baby ducks.

The "chick guy" at the Columbus location says that there is talk of "them" (management) wanting to have them year-round -- this was when I noticed chicks a couple of weeks ago and mentioned my surprise that they had them so late and asked if this was just a fluke or their new thing. Not sure about your store, but it does seem this location is just doing "hatchery choice pullet" orders outside of the peak of chick days vs. having a large selection of specific breeds, still better than no chicks at all.

 

[funnyfarmmom]

The "chick guy" at the Columbus location says that there is talk of "them" (management) wanting to have them year-round -- this was when I noticed chicks a couple of weeks ago and mentioned my surprise that they had them so late and asked if this was just a fluke or their new thing.  Not sure about your store, but it does seem this location is just doing "hatchery choice pullet" orders outside of the peak of chick days vs. having a large selection of specific breeds, still better than no chicks at all. 

Somebody told me a couple months ago that Bloomington started keeping them year round last year. I dont know if that is true or not because I never bought chicks before this past spring . They only had Buff Orps, Rhode Island Red, Isa Brown (which were sold out), Black Austrolorp, and Cornish X, plus the 3 breeds of ducks. I had to get the chicks myself because the girl working back there looked right at me and walked off even after I said "Id like to get some chicks" so I didnt get a bar code sticker, just had to tell the cashier what I had. She rang them up as pullets but I didnt get a chance to find out if that were true or not . I hope so, then I wont have to get rid of the two juvenile roos I wound up with that ride around on my shoulder!

The Bedford store just opened last month but they dont have chicks at all .

 

[blkjak]

Chicken subtraction happened again yesterday. Sent my all my geese, all my button quail, pair of muscovys and 16 chickens to auction yesterday. So down 29 birds. To compensate a friend of mine has to move off her farm so on tuesday I am going to pick up all her White Chantecler chicks plus 5 silkies and 3 guinea fowl. 29 birds in total.
Had 5 chicks die this week, not sure whats going on. Have 1 more that doesnt look all that good but not bad. 7 eggs in the bator set to hatch tuesday. Probably even in the end.
Next year going to concentrate on: White Chanteclers, Plymouth Barred Rocks, Jersey Giants, Silkies, Isbars and EEs; Muscovys, Cayugas, Pekins and Buff Orpington Ducks.

 

[blkjak]

Chicken subtration will happen again in a couple weeks. 25 meat birds to be processed.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am holding steady with 32. Hoping for an easy winter for the old ladies. Need to process them in the spring since I have to take them out of city limits to do it. Yes I have a neighbor that would rat me out for sure.
The processing place is done for the season and will start up again in May.

 

[Buckhowdy]

My chicken math calculations were based on eating 2 backyard chickens per week. I was in the check out line at Costco and noticed my wife had a large package of drumsticks and another large bag of chicken wings in the cart. It doesn't pay to argue. I'm just going to raise a lot fewer chickens than I had planned on, with a new focus on having a continuous supply of eggs. She can buy chicken at the store and we will eat a bird once and a while from the back yard.

 

[Tatiana110]

My chicken math calculations were based on eating 2 backyard chickens per week. I was in the check out line at Costco and noticed my wife had a large package of drumsticks and another large bag of chicken wings in the cart. It doesn't pay to argue. I'm just going to raise a lot fewer chickens than I had planned on, with a new focus on having a continuous supply of eggs. She can buy chicken at the store and we will eat a bird once and a while from the back yard.

Ouch

I believe that once someone tries a home grown rooster, there is no way back to store bought chickens Honestly! My very good friend brought her famous chicken dish to our potluck dinner (which I absolutely loved), and I could not eat now... the chicken meat was tasteless and texture was off. That was after tasting a couple of birds from our flock.


Our chicken math worked our to 1 rooster/roaster per week (or a duck), and at least a dozen eggs a day. That works for our family of three.
So we seemed to have settled for 45+ chickens and 20+ ducks for now, but some subtraction will begin in fall/winter. Then in spring we will let them hatch more babies.

 

[PowellAnimals]

Rehomed two silkie chicks and two polish chicks this week so I am down to 44. Already have my eye on some Belgian Quail d'Anvers to replace them. Thank goodness my local breeder didn't have much of a selection today when I stopped by.