Explaining Chicken Math

[SunnySkies]

Shoot, I haven't even gotten any yet and the math has gotten me. It all started when a friend gave me some of her free range eggs, which reminded me of my childhood growing up on the farm with like 300 laying hens. If we ate it, it was because we had raised it or grown it, and the eggs were amazing. I told DH that WE could have eggs like this EVERY DAY, and he shrugged, acquiescing to yet another of my ideas. Poor guy. This is how we have a lot of kids, critters, and we are in the homestretch on buying our own land.It's always my idea.

So I planned to get just 4-6 hens, no roos. Just eggs, after all. I started looking at coops for a few birds.

Then I got to looking at breeds and realized I could breed chickens! I used to as a kid! And our kids could do 4-H! Yeah! So then I thought, I need more like 10-12 hens and one rooster. And I started looking at bigger coop plans.

And then I thought about getting two different breeds for variety. And showing! I used to do that too! How fun would that be! So now I need an even bigger coop, and I started looking at those. I even looked at a big horse sized run in shed that is converted to a chicken coop that they deliver, ready to put chickens in! Yay!

Then I took the kids to a small place, where they saw Silkies, and I bought a bator, which holds like 46 eggs if I counted correctly (I might not have in all my excitement over now being able to hatch our own!). And the kids started clamoring for Silkies. So that means I need at least three coops, one for Silkies and two for the others.

But it's coming to fall, and I'm starting to think getting chicks now is silly. They would be old enough to start laying in the dead of winter, so they probably won't, and I don't want to overwinter pullets. However.....ha! I could get MEATIES! And if I got them in the next month or so, after we close on our property of 7 acres, I could slaughter them when the weather cools down and fill the freezer! And now I need a coop and run for 25 meaties! But if I got more than 25, I could give some to my friends and coworkers...

 

[sdsmowen]

We have always wanted a small homestead- for close to 18 years we have dreamed and planned and talked about how great it would be. Chickens have always been part of "the plan". So in April we found it "The house and land" made the offer and were on our way this is right as TSC starts thier chicken days.....Yay! we can get the chicks and they will be ready to live in the barn by the time we move..Perfect!

So we pick 3 SLW 3 GLW 3 Buff and 3 RIR we want egg layers this is a great super cute bunch of chickies... at 4 wks we start to get a bad feeling..all the wyandottes turned out to be GLW the Buffs are leghorns and...of the 6 GLW only 1 is a pullett uhoh. So we have 12 chickens 5 of them are Roo's hmmm.... We need more girl chickens!

So i log onto Murray McMurray and we decide the rainbow layers look like what we need. 12+ 27 (including the extras) =39
April 1 = 0 chickens, June 1 =39 and we are loving every min. Oh and i forgot to mention the 3 Pekin ducks we just couldn't resist LOL

Good thing we have a barn with a chicken area set up we just need to expand it a little now....

did i mention the sheep?? we will be going to look at the in a day or two... Farm Math started by chickens!

 

[my peeps and me]

Started with 6 Columbia Rock Crosses from The Agway store last year. Decided I wanted a couple more chicks and variety of colored eggs, Ordered from the hatchery. You needed a min of 10 so I ordered 6 Black Copper Mararans and 4 Cookoo Marans that were delivered in March = 16 birds, Lost 3 of the Cookoo Marans chicks = 13. Picked up 2 Golden Commets and 8 Easter Eggers, April 20th, from the Agway Store = 23. Then 2 weeks later picked up 3 Buff Orpingtons , lost 1 orp = 25 Birds. Wish I had more land would definately have more chicklens. I love this chicken math

 

[wattsjadajoe]

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.

Yea, I have had some evolution also! I built 3 "A" frame coops, but this next year I am going to build 1 Bigger coop and discontinue the "A" frames....but I'm still going to use reclaimed lumber!

Joe

 

[wattsjadajoe]

OK I love every one of these stories.

I however, am sad to say that NO ONE here knows how to do "chicken math".

The way it was explained to me was:
1. Eggs do not count because you never count your chickens before they hatch.
2. Meaties do not count because they are dinner.
3. Extra Roos do not count because they are dinner.
4. Roos that are for breeding do not count because they are breeders.
5. Chicks do not count because the might be male or female, never sure till they lay an egg or crow.
6. Broody hens do not count because they are incubators and not laying eggs.
7. Hens that have just hatched off chicks do not count because they are new mothers, the chicks see #5
8. Hens that are molting do not count because they are not laying eggs.
9. Old hens do not count because they no longer laying eggs but are great mothers of step chicks.
10. Any chicken that is for sale or trade does not count because they are leaving.
11. Never have an odd number od chickens because no one wants to be the odd chicken out.
12. Bantams only count as 1/2 because they are small.
13. ANY ANIMAL that has a name is not counted because once you give them a name they are family, and you can not count family.

So the way I see it most of you need buy some chickens because most of what you have DO NOT COUNT.

So says the guy who 3 years ago started with 11 hens and 1 roo,
Last year had over 600 mouths that were taking in food.
Today I only have 32 chickens, even though I am feeding close to 200 mouths.

Time to recalculate!!!!

Joe

 

[jrsckn]

By that logic, I have zero chickens!!!!!!!!! Omg, what am I going to do now????????? What do I tell the 53 poor creatures I've been feeding for the past few months?

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Wait, I shouldn't have an odd number? I have 9 chicks! I better get another, or two, or three! Som according to that logic, I have zero chickens! And, five of my nine are bantams! Time to recrunch my numbers. (once they lay)

 

[rcking]

I'm just glad that chicken math isn't in the DSM..otherwise the wife would have me committed.

 

[Roxannemc]

First I have read all these replies up to this point and am chuckling away for the second day in a row... each so funny and true!!
But second... i am REALLY worried now because i also see many ppl have gone from chickens..... to GOATS.
I have wanted mini goats for years but resisted the urge . ...Now i am super worried i will give in ..Seems like a trend here.Chicken math brings on goat math ???NONO!!! SOMEBODY STOP ME!!!

 

[HappyHenMama]

First I have read all these replies up to this point and am chuckling away for the second day in a row... each so funny and true!!
But second... i am REALLY worried now because i also see many ppl have gone from chickens..... to GOATS.
I have wanted mini goats for years but resisted the urge . ...Now i am super worried i will give in ..Seems like a trend here.Chicken math brings on goat math ???NONO!!! SOMEBODY STOP ME!!!

MMmmmm...goat milk, goat cheese, goat butter!

Go ahead, take the plunge!