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Chicken math

We used to have 4 chickens then three died and we bought 1 more to have a pair. Then she died n i got 1 more chick so i ended up with 2 dudes. One dude died of illness so i got like 10 or 12 chicks. Of these 2 died as chicks. Then a year or two after that they had chicks like 2 or 3. We lost 1 hen to illness n sold like 4 after that. Then a neighbor dumped her roo on us. A small roo hopped into our yard and no one claimed it same with another hen. We gave away a roo n had 3 new chicks. We sold another hen. A hen died and a roo killed my ten year old roo. So now we are trying to sell that roo. We have 6 hens 2 roos now. Oh and we are going to build an incubator n stuff it with 6 to 16 eggs no telling if any will hatch. Chicken math right? We just wanted a hen and a roo.
 
So this year I was planning on adding four more chickens to my flock of 6 (2 EEs and 2 Silkies) but ended up with 4 EES, 2 Silkies, 1 Leghorn, 1 Red Star, 1 white crested black polish, 1 buff laced polish, 1 golden laced polish, 1 white polish, 1 golden laced cochin bantam, 1 Serama, 1 silver sebright, 1 black naked neck, 1 salmon favarolle, 1 barnevelder, 1 light brahma, 1 partridge rock, 1 golden laced Wyandotte, 2 black australorps. I got all of these at different times though, but all within 2 months. Good thing I have room for all of these chickens!!
 
When I first came to this forum, I was thinking, how hard is it to get chickens and do simple math? I started out wanting to get 6 chickens, 3 rir's and 3 bo's, which I am still waiting to pick up next Fri. So then I found a guy down the road from me that has some barred rock's and some wyandonette's. I only wanted 6, mind you, but now it's looking more like 10-12 of them, and I havent even got started yet. If it's this hard to just get started, I can imagine how it would be for most of you that are already raising them. I will say that 12 will be my definite limit.....so far.

Its ok I went to the store to get 2 for my little sister and came home with 7. (only 3 were for me)
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its not my fault...i didn't know that there was such a thing as a lavender ameracauna.
 
Hee. Hee. I can definitely relate. When I first came here to learn and research, I saw some posts on chicken math and thought: "I can't be that hard to limit yourself?! Crazy chicken people!"

So, I thought I'd start with 3. I did my research. I knew feed stores carried EEs that they inaccurately called Ameraucana and/or Aracauna and knew that egg color would be a mystery. I really wanted to increase my chances of getting a blue or green egg, and since I was new to chicken-keeping, I got 4, in case one chick didn't make it. They all grew up strong and healthy.

6 months later and more time reading BYC, and falling in love with other breeds. I felt I was ready to add 4-6 more, so I had a mini field trip to 2 breeders and came home with 6 pullets. One pullet turned into a he, so I got credit for him and added a pullet. I kept the cockerel to see if his crowing was manageable and acceptable for suburbia. We managed. At this point, I had 11. Then one got sick and died. 10. Still at planned number, though minus 1 hen and gained 1 roo.

Then I rescued a emaciated and injured cockerel. 11. And got 2 other cockerels I'm going to try and raise as meat. 13. Then one of my newer pullets went broody. She hatched 7 chicks. 21. Then 1 died. 20.

But I'm still legal. (At least that's what I tell myself to prevent self from admitting that I'm not one of those crazy chicken people). City allows 20 MATURE birds. I only have 10 mature birds. ;) I have my heart set on adding 2 standard Cochins, and at least 1 Brabanter and at least 1 Appenzeller Spitzhauben. :D
 
Hee. Hee. I can definitely relate. When I first came here to learn and research, I saw some posts on chicken math and thought: "I can't be that hard to limit yourself?! Crazy chicken people!"

So, I thought I'd start with 3. I did my research. I knew feed stores carried EEs that they inaccurately called Ameraucana and/or Aracauna and knew that egg color would be a mystery. I really wanted to increase my chances of getting a blue or green egg, and since I was new to chicken-keeping, I got 4, in case one chick didn't make it. They all grew up strong and healthy.

6 months later and more time reading BYC, and falling in love with other breeds. I felt I was ready to add 4-6 more, so I had a mini field trip to 2 breeders and came home with 6 pullets. One pullet turned into a he, so I got credit for him and added a pullet. I kept the cockerel to see if his crowing was manageable and acceptable for suburbia. We managed. At this point, I had 11. Then one got sick and died. 10. Still at planned number, though minus 1 hen and gained 1 roo.

Then I rescued a emaciated and injured cockerel. 11. And got 2 other cockerels I'm going to try and raise as meat. 13. Then one of my newer pullets went broody. She hatched 7 chicks. 21. Then 1 died. 20.

But I'm still legal. (At least that's what I tell myself to prevent self from admitting that I'm not one of those crazy chicken people). City allows 20 MATURE birds. I only have 10 mature birds. ;) I have my heart set on adding 2 standard Cochins, and at least 1 Brabanter and at least 1 Appenzeller Spitzhauben. :D

I hate that about chickens, but at the same time i love how they are able to do that...if that makes sense.
 

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