Chicken math

[SunHwaKwon]

My math - I wanted to end up with 6-8 hens only that my pre-fab chicken coop could hold. I buy 8 to start at tcs. They only have pullets in one type and that wasn't the type I wanted so I get chickens anyway. Duel purpose -the roosters will go as soon as they are big enough. I go to a different tcs and they have some different breeds I get 6 more. I start reading on here about how to tell the roosters from the hens it looks like all but the pullets are roosters from the first batch, the second batch I can't tell. I go away for the weekend and I stop with my brother at yet a different tcs I get 6 more because I really want to end up with about 8 hens and my math is telling my I'm getting way too many roosters. I get 8 more because I was joking with another customer about leaving some bantams for me and he left 4 instead of the 2 I planned and then I got a clerk who sorted about some hens for me. Then my brother decided he wanted 8 and that they could stay at my house till it was time for them to go outside. I got home and discovered that 4 of his did not look the the 2 of mine that should all have been buff orpingtons and that 4 of his (feathered dark legs with 5 toes) after talking with local tcs are probably silkies( not sure how much she really knows because I really don't trust tcs) and are not the best for eggs and meat so I go get 6 more chicks and am now talking about how to expand my prefab chicken coop or re home some hens if that plan fails . I should have just ordered the pullets online.............

Yes black skin and 5 toes points to them being silkies. Most people won't eat them because of the skin color but they are eaten as a delicacy. Most people keep them for looks and broodies; the eggs will be small and they are an ornamental, not production, breed.

ETA A prefab coop that says it houses up to 8 means 8 small bantams. It will probably hold 2-4 large fowl depending on breed.

 

[kbowman123]

ETA  A prefab coop that says it houses up to 8 means 8 small bantams. It will probably hold 2-4 large fowl depending on breed. 

Thanks for the tip the box says it was supposed to hold 8 standard chickens this makes me feel better about planing an expansion already

 

[254trucker]

Lol I can relate I went in to get 6 pullet and ended up with 4 dozen after several trips to the feed store . It is the wife's fault for sure. After giving some away we are down to 26. I think she is finally happy

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Thanks for the tip the box says it was supposed to hold 8 standard chickens this makes me feel better about planing an expansion already

Ah okay I was thinking you meant a prefab like from Tractor Supply.

 

[kbowman123]

It was a prefab from Tractor supply a delux house and it says 8 standard size chickens but I do plan on expanding it somehow. The chickens will free range some but it will be too small if I keep all the hens

 

[SunHwaKwon]

It was a prefab from Tractor supply a delux house and it says 8 standard size chickens but I do plan on expanding it somehow. The chickens will free range some but it will be too small if I keep all the hens

Ah okay yes they are very small. I got a 6 chicken one on clearance from TSC that I am using for a brooder and I simply can't imagine stuffing 6 grown birds in there, unless they were Seramas, or it was temporary, such as for quarantine.

 

[grandmaduck]

It was a prefab from Tractor supply a delux house and it says 8 standard size chickens but I do plan on expanding it somehow. The chickens will free range some but it will be too small if I keep all the hens

We

 

[grandmaduck]

We probably have the same TSC coop kbowman123. Mine holds my 12 5 week olds when they are out during the day but there is no way it would hold 8 full grown birds. They would feel so packed in there. Your TSC story sounds like mine except I think I got all pullets which I wanted, just did not like buying 6 at a time. We have a feed store/garden center locally that once you buy 3 from them, you can buy whatever quantity you would like on the next visit even just one. So you ended up with Silkies also. We paid 50 cents for ours at TSC and shared with a friend.

 

[hamlette2002]

I'm learning chicken math! I have 5 laying hens,but one skips a day sometimes. So I actually only have 4. You can't get just one chicken because that's sad, and it takes 2 chicks to make 1 hen, right? So I got 2 chicks, but I have to feed them, so it's like I never got them. So I had to get 2 more. So...5h+(2c*2)=5...right?

 

[Hillaire]

**siighhh* so, we went to our local chicken store yeah it's called Rob's Poultry lol. so anyways we were there to pick up our 4 fawn and white runner duck ducklings... well he misordered and ordered 2 so we have 2 more coming next week. Anyways a few weeks ago I brought one of my partridge cochin bantam roosters to sell as he does consignment he ended up selling it for 35$ woot woot. So he was like I got bearded silkies all colors in take some they will go towards the money I owe you... so my fiancé walk out with a box of 2 ducklings and 8 silkie chicks.... all colors 2 blue, 2 partridge 2 buff and 2 wheaten

I mean they were free right.... right? ughh well good news is right now I have went from 10 laying hens and a rooster with 4 guinea hens to an additional 4 ducks 2 more to come 25 chicks of all ages lol and 7 bourbon red turkeys to come... obviously any roosters I get I am selling and any pullets that don't conform to what I am trying to do with my flock lol