Chicken math

[nickdlny]

I have it figured out.  I decided that I'd only count the ones I can physically see in the same place.  So not my fault if half of them are in the run and the other half in the coop and I happen to be in the coop when I'm counting........

BRILLIANT!!! Shall we start compiling a list of the symptoms around chicken math? Denial, perhaps narcissistic tendencies, disregard for the feelings of dear others, intellectual regression around simple math topics...others?

Hey I know, We could start a support group. My name is Nick, and I have Chicken Math.

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't have issues with chicken math. I started with my first hatch of 5 + 3 EE and 3 Dom from feed store. Culled 5 roos. Hatched 17 the next year + 3 RCBL and 3 Dom from feed store (to replace Dom roos from last year) Gave away a lot of chicks, processed a lot of roos. Ended up with 1 roo and 15 hens. (culled one non layer and one died.) This year, I've hatched 19 + 22. But, only the nice ones are staying. I've already sold 10 chicks, and have 3 more spoken for. The problem is, there are a lot of nice ones! I'll be replacing my original 5 hens, and intend to keep my flock down to around 20. My big issue is Incubation addiction.

 

[nickdlny]

I don't have issues with chicken math.  I started with my first hatch of 5 + 3 EE and 3 Dom from feed store.  Culled 5 roos.  Hatched 17 the next year + 3 RCBL and 3 Dom from feed store (to replace Dom roos from last year)  Gave away a lot of chicks, processed a lot of roos.  Ended up with 1 roo and 15 hens.  (culled one non layer and one died.) This year, I've hatched 19 + 22.  But, only the nice ones are staying.  I've already sold 10 chicks, and have 3 more spoken for.  The problem is, there are a lot of nice ones!  I'll be replacing my original 5 hens, and intend to keep my flock down to around 20.  My big issue is Incubation addiction.  

Careful, there's room for Chicken Math to sneak in there. It's hard to assess goal-based performance without cleat defined goals. All I'm saying is that 'around 20' leaves room for the flock to slowly and unintentionally get bigger lol!

There are worse things than chicken math though.

 

[eviemethugh]

Okay I love this thread! My family had about 16 chickens when we moved to their town. We are able to use their land and my brother gave me an old chick catalog....I was immediately drawn in to how cute everything was! So we placed an order for the spring. That was it right? We placed 2 more orders before they even came because they were so cute!! Then we went to buy feed and came home with 4 turkeys (what??) then a friend lent us his incubator and my families original chickens were so cute we had to buy them a rooster off craigslist so they could have sweet babies, right???
So here we are 3 months and 131 chickens later and more addicted than ever!!!!
We are mainly in this to fill our freezers, but pretty little chickens have ended up in our boxes anyway. Plus the red Rangers we bought to eat are so sweet and personable (and tasty I'm sure!) I can't remeber exact breed counts off the top of my head (we have intense record books that's how I know the total) but we have: Americans, dominiques, silkies, silver laced wyandottes, Cochin, red Rangers, pioneers, chefs, geese, turkeys and one feisty little game bird who was "free"
I would love more breeds but I'm going to *try* to be done for this summer, so im getting addicted to management like a chicken garden and sprouting grains instead.

 

[nordicacres]

Well, we started out with an order of 25. Then we decided we should raise a batch of meat birds. So placed an order of 32 (Cornish X and some more layers). Plus they threw in freebies. We butchered the 21 meat birds already and will butcher the cockerels when they are big enough (15 of them?). Plus I picked up a few at the feed store. Then DH decided we must have some Icelandics (no complaints here) and he wants to do another batch of meat birds in mid summer. So how many is that? . Oh, and we have five turkey poults and I'm determined to get some Guineas for the tick control. I've wanted poultry for a long time and am loving it!!!

 

[blkjak]

Okay I love this thread! My family had about 16 chickens when we moved to their town. We are able to use their land and my brother gave me an old chick catalog....I was immediately drawn in to how cute everything was! So we placed an order for the spring. That was it right? We placed 2 more orders before they even came because they were so cute!! Then we went to buy feed and came home with 4 turkeys (what??) then a friend lent us his incubator and my families original chickens were so cute we had to buy them a rooster off craigslist so they could have sweet babies, right???
So here we are 3 months and 131 chickens later and more addicted than ever!!!!
We are mainly in this to fill our freezers, but pretty little chickens have ended up in our boxes anyway. Plus the red Rangers we bought to eat are so sweet and personable (and tasty I'm sure!) I can't remeber exact breed counts off the top of my head (we have intense record books that's how I know the total) but we have: Americans, dominiques, silkies, silver laced wyandottes, Cochin, red Rangers, pioneers, chefs, geese, turkeys and one feisty little game bird who was "free"
I would love more breeds but I'm going to *try* to be done for this summer, so im getting addicted to management like a chicken garden and sprouting grains instead.

You and I have the same problem. Just when I think I have all the breeds that I like and will do well in our cold winters I think I need something else. I have 56 chickens, 52 chicks that i have hatched, 8 chicks that broodies have hatched, 6 broodies still setting, 60 meat chicks coming on june 4, 11 muscovies( 3 of which are setting on clutches), 17 assorted ducks( 2 are setting), 4 geese, 5 guinea fowl and some rabbits, dogs and cats (some with new kittens). Oh and a incubator with 9 chicken eggs and 25 duck eggs. And a chicken tractor with 4 hens in it clearing their systems out so a roo can go in shortly. And I emailed a breeder the other day about Isbar hatching eggs.
Breeds are P Barred Rocks, Silkies, Cochins, White Chanteclers, EEs, Marans and barnyard mix.
Ducks are Muscovy, Cayuga, Blue Swedish, Buff Orpington, Khaki Campbell and Pekin.
I really love the look of the Isbar so here is hoping she will have some eggs in 3 weeks!

 

[n3kms]

I say with the bird flu killing off the commercial places and the price of eggs and chicken going up we should all BUILD MORE COOPS! I have non chickens people talking to me about wanting eggs after hearing the news. I don't have enough eggs to
keep up with orders. Hubby can't complain about that.

 

[blkjak]

I say with the bird flu killing off the commercial places and the price of eggs and chicken going up we should all BUILD MORE COOPS! I have non chickens people talking to me about wanting eggs after hearing the news. I don't have enough eggs to
keep up with orders. Hubby can't complain about that.

I agree. Not many here talking about bird flu but lots talking about the change in commercial requirements and the price going up. I sold all my eggs on wednesday from the previous week.
Any excuse to add to the flock!!

 

[kristaschics15]

I'm still with my original 5! I had planned on giving my Roo away but I love him and my closest neighbor said "wwhhyyy???" When I mentioned getting rid of him lol. I told her we will see when he starts crowing how I feel about it.

I have just about decided I will never raise babies in the house again! That was too stressful. And I'm terrified of disease from other flocks coming in so I may be stuck with just these for now. Considering I only wanted 2 it's still chicken math at its best lol

 

[lazy gardener]

Careful, there's room for Chicken Math to sneak in there. It's hard to assess goal-based performance without cleat defined goals. All I'm saying is that 'around 20' leaves room for the flock to slowly and unintentionally get bigger lol!

There are worse things than chicken math though.

Careful, there's room for Chicken Math to sneak in there. It's hard to assess goal-based performance without cleat defined goals. All I'm saying is that 'around 20' leaves room for the flock to slowly and unintentionally get bigger lol!

There are worse things than chicken math though.

My chicken math will happen when it's time to cull the original 4, and the roosters... and if the pullets don't sell. Can't eat a good POL pullet, right? But, I'll not give them away, either! Then, there's the Incy addiction. Gotta have a market for the little fuzz butts.

I'm still with my original 5! I had planned on giving my Roo away but I love him and my closest neighbor said "wwhhyyy???" When I mentioned getting rid of him lol. I told her we will see when he starts crowing how I feel about it.

I have just about decided I will never raise babies in the house again! That was too stressful. And I'm terrified of disease from other flocks coming in so I may be stuck with just these for now. Considering I only wanted 2 it's still chicken math at its best lol

All the more reason to hedge your flock on the larger side. But, that's not chicken math, IMO... that's just good stewardship. As long as you are able to keep flock size appropriate to your facilities and budget. When birds enter your flock, it's time to make culling decisions on the other end.My neighbor used to stand at the end of his driveway and crow at my roosters. He said he didn't mind the crowing, but... what was I to think? I processed them all, which was my plan at that time, and the very next weekend, he asked about "the rooster". "I miss the crowing." he said!

Krista: Take advantage of that roo. Beg, borrow, buy, make, or steal an incubator, and hatch your own chicks. Best hedge going yet against disease entering your flock. Then, while those eggs are cooking, read Blooie's excellent thread on Mama Heating Pad brooding. Have your own healthy chicks, brooded outside. No heat lamp involved. Very well adjusted chicks. I have asthma. So, I give them a couple of days to get adjusted to the heating pad, and know all about the food and water dishes, then, out the door they go! Easy, peasy!