Explaining Chicken Math

[wattsjadajoe]

Well chicken math strikes again! I just got a call from a Hatchery...My Dorkins are available!!! I have been on a waiting list for months. How could I say no....so I ordered 10 pullets! Had to inform the DW.....She thought we were done brooding in the bathroom for this year....

Gotta get em' when you can!! Hey, it's better than getting a call in January!!!

Joe

 

[ONSTAD1]

Omg...now I'm terrified to get my 4 hens!!!!!

Mo

 

[HappyHenMama]

I’m the one that wanted chickens, my wife didn’t want to have anything to do with them! I was going to start slow. I found BYC and started deciding what kind of chickens I wanted. I knew I wanted large brown eggs, so only looked at breeds that laid those eggs. I ordered some hatchery birds from the local feed store and they came in a couple of shipments. Then I heard about Ameruacana’s and Easter Eggers and incubators. I bought an incubator and then eggs from BYCers. We had the incubator upstairs in the kitchen and we were always adjusting the temp and had dismal hatches. Finally moved the incubator to a downstairs bedroom and joined one of Mahonri’s Easter Hatches, followed ChookChicks incubation rules and had a terrific hatch! Then I joined a couple of Egg Swaps and had a blast sending and receiving eggs from all over! We currently have a mixed flock with Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Ameraucana roosters. The main flock of 38 includes four roosters and one tom turkey (plus one pullet and three cockerels). Oh, and three roosters that are in their own cages away from the coop. There are nine chicks from the latest Easter Hatch. There are 11 chicks from the Oregon Spring Chicken Swap. There are another 20 chicks in the basement brooder (that haven’t been moved to the coop yet) that are from the April and May Egg Swaps. So, for those counting: 38+3+9+11+20= 81.

We sell our eggs and don’t want any broodies. I had three girls that were nasty broodies, so put them with one of the caged roosters…they are no longer broody and are laying again!

Oh yeah…they are now my wife’s chickens! LOL!!

Okay, so I have to ask...how does putting a broody in a cage with a rooster break her broodiness? Just wondering, because I have a broody that is driving me crazy. I haven't gotten eggs from her all spring and now into the summer because she's gone broody 3 times. I finally let her set 2 of her eggs and one of them hatched so now she's raising 1 chick. Thanks, I realise this is not a question thread and more of a "funny story thread" but I gotta know.

By the way everyone, I'm really enjoying all the posts. Such fun! I'll post my little story tomorrow. Going to bed for the night. Oh, BYC is addicting!

 

[JLeigh]

Well, I do have to admit....the 5 coops and runs I have cost less than $200.00!! and that was the chicken wire and screws! I used pallets and used lumber, that took a lot of work and time to locate...but I refused to buy new. And my runs/coops may not be predator proff...but I sure know they are predator resistant!!

But yes...we have coop math also!!

Joe

We learned, Joe, we learned. Wish we had done ours the way you did from the beginning! The next one, or two, or three coops won't cost a fraction as much. We're planning on taking down and old building on my daughter's property, and scotch taping our next coop together.

 

[JLeigh]

Omg...now I'm terrified to get my 4 hens!!!!!
Mo

Don't be afraid, Mo, just be prepared.

 

[peepsquad]

too funny. when my DH told his mom he was building me a chicken coop for my birthday, she laughed and said make it a condo. we started with 4 hens, we have been up to as many as 24, during that time we got a lion head bunny, had to add on a hutch, 2 ducks, had to dig a large pond, 2 pot belly pigs who needed a pen and a house, and a wading pool... it keeps going. But we had about 12 chicks hatch, we were getting way more eggs than we could all use, so we sold 9 chicks and 6 hens. who knows what will happen tomorrow. My daughter wants a horse of course. I love chicken math.

 

[Roxannemc]

Ha. I know what you're feeling. One of my girls went broody so I stuck 6 eggs under her. i had little faith that a baby chick could actually hatch out of an egg so just to hedge my bets I ordered 8 chicks from IP to come on the 21st day of when my eggs might hatch. 6 eggs turned into 9 eggs and on the 21st day they started hatching.( all 9). I hadn't dared tell my DH that I had also ordered eggs so I stayed near the phone and when the post office called I ran out and snuck them under the broody. 2 days later I saw my husband take a second look at the chicks and saw saw the spark of understandind light his eyes. The only thing he said as he walked back toward the house was "You are crazy".

HAHAHA...that is really funny.
I can only talk about my chickens here and be understood and ihave 11 with 7 eggs in the incubator Like any addict i am only happy in the company of other addicts who also know about chicken math .
I bought 3 of each in march except barred rock(just 2) b/c i though at a day old some would die.
Not one did.
Eggs... i am counting on 2 chicks maybe out of 7 incubating but more eggs coming in July and oh no....5 eggs to pick up next week too....(3 hour drive one way!) Addicted who me?.
If all hatch i am in trouble.
No DH to build just me... Lowes already knows me by name and my whole body always looks like i have 20 scratching cats
I am thinking about hiding my Lowes trips from my family as i am getting strange looks .Might start to say i am grocery shopping instead..(practical)ADDICTED!!!!!!

 

[luvmycritters]

Just thought I would chime in. We started out with 10 Guineas to help with ticks. Well the Guineas are at the neighbors farm mingling with their chickens and guineas and geese and ducks. They have decided not to come home anymore. So, we thought that if we had chickens, maybe the Guineas would come home stick around. We found some Black Stars on Craigslist, so for Mother's Day, my request was for the hubby to go get me 5 or 6 chickens. He came home with 16!! I am new to this, so at that point I started doing my research. When we went to the neighbors (to visit our Guineas) I started taking note of the kind of chickens they had. I really admired their Buff Orp. So, I decided to order English Lemon Cuckoo Orpingtons. I ordered 4 and the guy threw in 2 just in case a couple didn't make it during shipping. They all made it. My husband has built a pretty sufficient coop. No losses yet, knock on wood. Guineas still won't come home and we now have 22 chickens. I absolutely love them and can't wait for them to start laying. I have the fever and it is really hard to restrain myself. Seriously, chicken math is a crazy infliction. My husband has it too We have decided to just stick with what we have for now...I am keeping my eyes open for an incubator. I understand that you can make them too - I might put that on my honey-do list. Perhaps I will ask for one for my birthday, which is next week.

 

[Roxannemc]

MY PEOPLE!!! ---My DH is terrified of chicken math....oh, he doesn't know what it's called but apperently i've been practicing chicken math with dogs and cats for years.

Me too.6 chihuahuas, 4 English Mastiffs (and one pup coming in the fall) one old cat , 11 chickens plus 7 eggs and more coming and boy if i dont think Buff Brahmas are SO pretty and Sliver laced Brahama are the bees knees.
I can just FEEL they are next) H_E_L_P!!!!

 

[clucking cuties]

Awww chicken math....

It started with an early spring with a visit to the local feed store for rabbit pellets (yes we have those also

) and just couldn't resist the fuzzy little peeps. Dear son (aged 12) is "egging" me on.

DH: Well, I suppose some fresh eggs would be nice (Naively and innocently stated) .

Me: Yes of course they would; omelets, crepes, homemade cakes, ect (Stated with an evil grin.

)

DH: Ok, lets get six pullets. (His stomach is now growling at this point

.)

Me: OMG look how cute these are.... (15 baby chicks later)

A couple of weeks later, we bought an incubator and discover ( a revelation) that you can hatch chicks not available locally...Marans, Blue and lavender Orpingtons, Ameraucanas, Cream Legbars, ect, ect, ect...

Several incubators and 65 chicks later, this man (DH) has the nerve to accuse me of having a "chicken problem". Yes, the incubators are somewhat full of prospective chicks but I am not the one walking around with half grown chicks on my shoulder saying; "Aye Mate, Polly here wants a cracker."

An then there's that dang "minimum chick order thing

that hatcheries use to further torture those of us with a "chicken problem". A surprise box in the mail! Honey, I know nothing about it...must have been sent to the wrong address, but awww look how cute, can we keep them? Many $$$$ and three chicken coops later...(with a fourth on the way), and I have promised that we will be giving a few away... but only to very worthy friends and neighbors.

Well if the girls cooperate, the first eggs should be due mid July, and we are having a blast. Yes its a bad case of chicken math, but fortunately we are rural, so I don't have to live covertly in "chicken sin".