Chicks and Record Keeping

[MarthaTheRooster]

That is key, IMO.
Not sure why you use a binder, I just enter right into computer daily.

I'm not a fan of computers! I live in an area that has really bad internet connection to begin with so my husband and I just choose not to pay for something that wasn't even going to come in half the time. Plus, I just like paper over computer storage. To me theres nothing like flipping open a binder and reading my handwritten notes. I just try to limit my computer/electronic usage to work only. I enjoy not having a computer or TV to distract me from doing things outside or getting some work done. Of course this is just my personal preference.

 

[wild chick]

I'm getting more & more files in my computer nowadays but I do enjoy looking at paper records. Maybe I'll print out end of year spreadsheet and start a binder! Best of both worlds. I haven't had a TV in 20 years and just a few times a year I miss it, otherwise nope. I have satellite internet - it's pretty good most of the time, just not for streaming movies or streaming anything for that matter. What spreadsheets did you find online to copy & alter for your needs? I had to make mine up and still not real happy with it.

 

[MarthaTheRooster]

Yes! The older I get the more don't mind not having satellite TV or internet. We have absolutely not internet, most of the time no service or 4g on our phones (We live in a holler) and we only have local tv, which is about 5 channels, sometimes lol

I just find it super handy to have hardcopies of everything, it seems like I'm always having computer issues (granted I'm not the most computer-savy) and losing my files or getting a virus. Really, so long as I don't fire I'll always have my hard-copies , whereas a computer can lose files, files can be overwritten, contract viruses, and lets face it people go through computers really quickly and I just don't see the point in storing valuable information on one and goin through the hassle of backing it up.

I was actually going through other threads about record keeping and for the life of me I cant remember the original posters name but she had several spreadsheets that she downloaded from some Poultry website and altered them. If you'd like a copy you can private message me and I can email them to you.

 

[Santa Claus]

That is key, IMO.
Not sure why you use a binder, I just enter right into computer daily.

Because electronics aren’t secure as paper for me although I use both.

 

[Kris5902]

I’ve bounced around on this since I started keeping my own chickens last October. I was recording everything at first, costs for incubators, eggs, feed, housing materials. Then I realized that it’s going to be years before I start recouping any of those big initial expenses. I’m not a great spreadsheet person. I now keep a small notebook and some important dates/info on my kitchen calendar.

I’m making detailed notes on costs and feed consumption for my meat birds to figure out how much to charge for the finished product, but I’m still growing my laying/breeding flocks, so I’m not really tracking their expenses very closely. (Except for feed costs for the chickens that I’m housing that aren’t mine and I’m not getting the eggs from, as I might start charging the owners)

I’m at a position where I’m just starting a chicken business, rescuing some hens from poor conditions and covering their expenses primarily for the welfare of the animals, and my initial breeding flock is treated a bit more like pets than livestock.

 

[aart]

My spreadsheet program is on my laptop hard drive so no need for internet to use it,
I have another hard drive holding regular backups,
and I've always had a hard time printing out spreadsheets legibly.
Best part is that it does the math for me(once I set it up).

 

[Kris5902]

My spreadsheet program is on my laptop hard drive so no need for internet to use it,
I have another hard drive holding regular backups,
and I've always had a hard time printing out spreadsheets legibly.
Best part is that it does the math for me(once I set it up).

I opened up a spreadsheet app on my phone and was looking at it... it’s just been so long since I set one up, I barely remember how to do any of it every now and then I think about figuring one out... it just seems that there’s never enough time!

 

[MarthaTheRooster]

I opened up a spreadsheet app on my phone and was looking at it... it’s just been so long since I set one up, I barely remember how to do any of it every now and then I think about figuring one out... it just seems that there’s never enough time!

This is why I do paper, its easy to forget to keep my spreadsheets up to date on my laptop or phone. I keep my binder laying on the bar in my kitchen (aka my "office" lol) so everyday I have to walk past it to remind myself to log todays necessities.

If want a copy of my printable spreadsheets message me! I'm more than happy to share what I have. I just keep them saved on my flashdrive so whenever I run out I can print them at work or the local library.

 

[aart]

every now and then I think about figuring one out... it just seems that there’s never enough time!

Learning software does take time....if I didn't already know how to use one from decades of use, I'd not bother either.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't keep records, no. My chickens are never going to make me rich or even pay for themselves, so there is no point. I got them as tick control. I moved into an area where ticks are a fact of life from an area where they essentially did not exist and chickens are a survival mechanism for me. It's also nice to get good healthy eggs out of the deal plus I just like chickens. When I have a surplus of eggs I give some away or sell them, and put the money in the church plate to support the mission work. Somebody said their older chickens are on social security and pension plans. I like that, lol. Mine live on grace. They don't really have to do anything to earn their keep or justify their existence except eat bugs and be happy hens.